This post is part of a series chronicling news coverage of rising prices in the United States. See more here.
Fox 8 WGHP reports on how higher oil prices as a result of the Iran war are driving up the price of meat: “Until oil prices go down, some farmers tell me that price will be passed down to the consumers”
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From a May 4, 2026, video uploaded to the YouTube page of Fox8 WGHP
MICHAEL HENNESSEY (ANCHOR): And from drought conditions to oil prices, farmers can't catch a break this planting season. To make things worse, a meat processing company in Stokes County announced it's raising prices on more than 500 farmers just to stay afloat. Foxy's Justin Lundy joins us here in the studio after speaking with the owner of Mitchell's Meat Processing Incorporated. Justin, how much of an increase are we talking about?
JUSTIN LUNDY (REPORTER): The owner, Kristi Mitchell, says prices have gone up by 9% on packaging meat products. And until oil prices go down, some farmers tell me that price will be passed down to the consumers.
KRISTI MITCHELL: It's been very frustrating because we're always trying to do what's best for the customer. And when what's best for the customer is for us to stay open, and that means raising prices, that's really hard.
LUNDY: A price hike Kristi Mitchell hoped to avoid is the only way she says Mitchell's Meat Processing Incorporated can stay afloat.
MITCHELL: We got an email from our plastic supplier that their prices were going to go up nine percent. And since we keep our margins so tight down here, we didn't have the room to eat that without passing that on to our customers.
LUNDY: Mitchell says her company packages meat for over 500 farmers. David Idol, the owner of Idol Farms based in Kernersville, is one of her loyal customers.
DAVID IDOL: With everything increasing everywhere else, I wasn't initially surprised just because I know they have staff up there. They have to pay a living wage.
LUNDY: Mitchell says the plastic she uses to wrap meat products is made out of oil. And since the conflict in the Middle East began, farming is one of the several industries being impacted. And now those prices are being passed down to the consumers.
IDOL: I've had to do a slight price adjustment on my wholesale retail bulk account. Fuel is up, causing everything to be up on the — on and around the farm.
LUNDY: With prices the way they are, Mitchell is telling customers —
MITCHELL: Everything will subside, just like beef markets. They're very, very high now, but they will go back down, and beef will be more affordable for us as the farmers to grow and as for the consumer to buy those finished products. So just hold on, and we will go back.
LUNDY: Mitchell says there's no timeline for when prices will go back down. And as of right now, they're monitoring plastic prices on a month-to-month basis.