Meat processing plants around the country have been slowing or shutting down operations, and beef shortages could be coming soon, some industry officials say. Production last week was down by about 25 percent amid numerous plant closures due to COVID-19 outbreaks among employees.

"Two of the seven largest U.S. facilities—those with the capacity to process 5,000 beef cattle daily—are closed because of the pandemic," reports The Washington Post. And employee absences and social distancing measures are slowing production at the few that remain open.

Another issue for those in the pandemic-era beef business is that restaurants aren't buying, which means many of the more expensive cuts of meat they depend on selling simply aren't being purchased by anyone.

"What's selling? Freaking hamburger," John Bormann, program sales manager for beef and pork processor JBS, told the Post. "All of a sudden 23 percent of the animal isn't being bought because food service is gone."

"There's no evidence at all that there's any risk to consumers," Colorado Gov. Jared Polis stressed at a news briefing on Monday after JBS announced it would be closing its Greeley, Colorado, facility. "It's an issue within the plant."