There was much mixed emotion when President Trump signed the executive order which invoked the Defense Production Act and told meatpackers to get back and running. Producers were happy to see the packers return. Many were looking at euthanizing animals or trying to sell them direct to customers for their own processing. On the other hand, workers at the packing plants were saying that they were being forced back to work in unsafe conditions.
The Trump Administration, Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue and others have said that their primary concern was with the health and safety of the workers at the packing plants. They called on the packers to make conditions safer for workers. However, after only a few weeks, we are not seeing any reduction in the number of packing plant workers falling ill. We are seeing an increase.
The Washington Post reports that based on public records and news reports, the number of COVID-19 cases at the packing facilities of JBS, Tyson, and Smithfield has risen by 8,000 in just a month. Deaths among meatpackers have increased from 17 to 63 in the same time frame.
The report also said that packers have responded to the call to increase worker safety. They are increasing the distance between workers and using shields to protect workers. However, there is only so much protection these measures can offer. At the Smithfield plant in Sioux Falls, there are more COVID tests available, but they are taken on a voluntary basis. Many of these employees live together in housing as well, so the disease can also spread rapidly outside of the plant. Many workers are not coming back to work for fear of their health.
House Ag Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN 7th) says the workers must feel like it is safe for them to return to work.
Ethan Lane of the National Cattlemen?s Beef Association says more testing needs to be done to ensure the safety of these workers. The health of the employees as well as the livelihoods of the American farmers are at stake.
The increase in illnesses is leading to an increase in worker trepidation to returning. This could then lead to another uptick in the backlog of animals waiting to be processed. Right now, the National Pork Producers Council estimates that backlog is at 170,000 hogs per day. This means we could see another 10 million animals having to be destroyed.
