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Trump to Order U.S. Meat Plants to Stay Open Amid Pandemic-14,259 workers infected-59 dead-22 plants closed

Officials implore Tyson to close Iowa pork plant amid virus outbreak

Jeff Reinitz | The Courier via AP
The Associated Press
Des Moines, Iowa
April 18, 2020 10:44 a.m.

On Friday, April 17, 2020,
More than a dozen Iowa elected officials on Friday implored Tyson Fresh Meats to close its Waterloo pork processing plant, saying the coronavirus is spreading among workers and is endangering both employees and the surrounding community.

Mayors, county officials and state legislators signed the letter that was sent to Tyson on Thursday. The 19 officials said at a Friday news conference they had only received confirmation from the company that it had received the letter but no other action.

“I’m really fearful that if Tyson management doesn’t address this issue effectively, their workforce will either voluntarily stop coming to work or be too sick to work,” Waterloo Mayor Quinten Hart said. “Our hope was that in a time of crisis when we’re all made equal that we would inherently do the ethical, morally right thing that wasn’t done."

...
Reynolds said at her daily news conference Friday that the state’s goal is to avoid closing the plant, which can process 19,000 pigs a day. She said the state is working with Tyson to test employees at facilities in Columbus Junction and Waterloo, and to trace their connections to others to identify community spread.

Testing was completed Friday in Columbus Junction, where Tyson officials said two workers had died following an outbreak where at least 148 workers have been infected. The plant has been closed since April 6 but the company hopes to reopen it next week.

...

Iowa Department of Public Health Deputy Director Sarah Reisetter said the plant hasn’t reached the point of requiring closure.

....

The outbreak at the Waterloo plant comes amid similar problems that have forced the closure of meat processing plants across the country, including a pork plant in Sioux Falls, S.D., where hundreds of workers have tested positive; a beef plant in Greeley, Colo., where at least two workers have died; and several meat plants in Pennsylvania where many workers are ill.

On Friday, Tyson announced four workers had died at a poultry plant in Georgia after being infected with the coronavirus.

?lso Friday, there were 19 reported cases of the coronavirus identified at a large JBS pork plant in Worthington, Minn., according to the union that represents most of the 2,000 workers at the facility. State health officials said seven cases have been confirmed and the number is expected to rise. The plant remains open.:tiphat:https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/0...virus-outbreak
 
South Side meat packing plant employees call for investigation after 21 COVID-19 cases confirmed

By Alexis McAdams
Sunday, April 19, 2020 12:37AM

CHICAGO (WLS) -- With 21 coronavirus cases confirmed at a meat packing plant on Chicago's South Side, employees are demanding more equipment to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Workers at the nearly century-old Rose Packing are worried for their health and safety.

"They need to shut down and clean and sterilize, make sure they do not have other employees sick," said a family spokesperson for two Rose Packing employees.

Both employees said they're quarantined after contracting COVID-19. They asked not to be identified out of fear of repercussions.



One of the employees, a man in his late 50s, said he collapsed and had to be rushed to the hospital after falling ill with the deadly virus.

"Fever, he could not breath, we honestly thought at first it was like a stroke," the spokesperson said.

Rose Packing has confirmed 21 cases of COVID-19 out of more than 500 employees. But people who work there say the numbers are much higher.

"People notice that there are employees missing, you know?" the spokesperson said.


Rose Packing said they're using strict protocol to clean the facility every night, and handing out personal protective equipment to their employees. But those who spoke to ABC7 said they work close together while packaging and cutting meat, and don't have proper equipment.

"No face masks. They were giving them hair nets and those are like thin and cheap," the spokesperson said.

The outbreak, just one of several at food processing plants across the country, is leading to less production and even plant closures.

On Chicago's South Side, employees just want to be sure they are safe while doing their work.

"The health department - OSHA- they need to shut down and clean, because they deal with meat on a daily basis," the spokesperson said. "If these employees are sick, they are handling packages and they are not giving them proper equipment."

Employees are asking for a formal investigation to make sure everything is up to protocol at the facility.

Read Rose Packing's full statement below:...:tiphat:https://abc7chicago.com/health/covid...ation/6114075/
 
Colorado meatpacking plant waited 8 days before shutting down after first of four employees died from COVID-19: report
April 18, 2020
By
Matthew Chapman
On Saturday, The Daily Beast reported that a meatpacking plant in Greeley, Colorado that has become a concentrated hot spot for coronavirus had a “work while sick” culture — and didn’t even bother to shut down until eight days after the first COVID-19 death of an employee.

“The Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment sent a letter to the JBS USA facility in Greeley on April 4, and referenced warnings the agency made to company officials on April 2—five days before the first reported death of one of the facility’s employees on April 7,” reported researcher William Bredderman. “JBS idled the beef processing operation on April 15, but not before dozens more of its 4,500 workers became infected and at least four died.”...:tiphat:https://www.rawstory.com/2020/04/col...vid-19-report/
 
2nd case at Indiana Packers, as Delphi plant looks to avoid fate of meat producing competitors

Dave Bangert, Lafayette Journal & Courier
4:41 p.m. ET April 17, 2020

DELPHI – A second confirmed case of coronavirus in as many days among the workforce at Indiana Packers Corp. – this one in someone who worked on the production floor at the Delphi pork producing plant – was confirmed by company officials Friday.

“We ask our team members to understand a positive case was bound to happen, and now we have two,” the company wrote in a letter sent to employees Thursday evening, a few hours after Indiana Packers announced that it learned that an employee working in a front office had tested positive for coronavirus and had been home in isolation since Tuesday.

The second case, involving “a team member on second shift in the tail popping area of the cut floor,” was reported to the company Thursday evening, according to the letter.

Mark Berry, vice president for human relations, said the letter was accurate. He said the company had hoped the meat packing plant, with nearly 2,500 employees, had hoped to avoid what he called “the inevitable” amid the pandemic...:tiphat:https://www.indystar.com/story/news/...ry/5154034002/
 
Rochelle Foods plant ordered to close due to COVID-19 outbreak

24 coronavirus cases have been linked to Rochelle Foods facility
By JEFF HELFRICH
April 17, 2020
Jeff Helfrich/Shaw Media

ROCHELLE – An outbreak of COVID-19 has forced the Ogle County Health Department to order the closure of Hormel’s Rochelle Foods plant.
As of Friday, 24 cases have been linked to the facility: 19 in Ogle County, three in Whiteside County and two in Winnebago County...:tiphat:. https://www.daily-chronicle.com/2020...break/aglaege/
 
Meat Prices Suddenly Surge As Food Processing Plants Shut Down, With 1000s Of Tons Left To Spoil
by Tyler Durden
Sun, 04/19/2020 - 17:40

As we pointed out earlier in the week, China-owned Smithfield Food's decision to temporarily shutter the largest pork processing plant in the US, based in Sioux Falls, SD, due to a coronavirus outbreak is a much more significant even than the mainstream media gave credit for. While WaPo focused on bashing the state's governor, whose refusal to issue a 'stay at home' order was blamed for the outbreak, the real significant wasn't accorded sufficient time and attention, we feel.

The real takeaway here, is that the supply chain for American staples was badly damaged by the outbreak, with the damage still more extensive and stubborn than government officials have really acknowledged. Two months on, and millions of Americans are still having trouble finding toilet paper and sterilizing wipes. A comprehensive list of products in perpetual short-supply would be quite lengthy, at this point...:tiphat:https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitic...g-plants-close
 
JBS, Cargill Employees To Receive Raise Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

April 19, 2020 at 2:25 pm

On top of masks, gloves and face shields for employees, JBS will also install plexiglass shields in areas where social distancing is not possible. Union officials say cafeterias and breakrooms will expand for better social distancing.

Employees at Cargill will receive a $2 per hour pay raise between March 23 and May 5. The union states co-pays for coronavi..:tiphat:https://denver.cbslocal.com/2020/04/...e-coronavirus/
 
...261 of the total positive tests reported on Sunday were related to enhanced testing of workers at meat processing plants in the state. 84 positive cases were from Tyson Foods employees, and 177 from National Beef employees. National Beef operates a plant in Tama.

State officials did not specify which Tyson Foods locations for those respective companies were the source of the new cases....
:tiphat:https://www.kcrg.com/content/news/38...569770201.html
 
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Chinese officials warn of impending global food crisis due to COVID-19 and swine fever
by The Pig Site
20 April 2020, at 11:01am

The global coronavirus pandemic threatens to cause a huge shock to international food trade and trigger a new food crisis, a top agriculture official in China announced today.
The comments came as coronavirus outbreaks roiled global agriculture supply chains and upended trade, and after some countries restricted exports of main grains and increased procurement for reserves.

"The fast spreading global epidemic has brought huge uncertainty on international agriculture trade and markets," said Yu Kangzhen, China's deputy agriculture minister.

"If the epidemic continues to spread and escalate, the impact on international food trade and production will definitely worsen, and might trigger a new round of food crisis," Yu said during a video conference on the country's agriculture outlook...:tiphat:https://thepigsite.com/news/2020/04/...nd-swine-fever
 
New $19 billion coronavirus relief fund announced for farmers
20 April 2020, at 12:24pm

On 17 April, President ***** announced a $19 billion relief programme to help US farmers weather the impact of the coronavirus – including food buys for poor Americans and $16 billion in direct payments.:tiphat:https://thepigsite.com/news/2020/04/...ed-for-farmers
 
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UK dairy industry groups unite behind calls for urgent government action to save sector

20 April 2020

Appeals for urgent government action to save the dairy industry have been backed by the entire supply chain, including UK farming unions, RABDF, Dairy UK and the Provision Trade Federation.,,
:tiphat:http://www.thecattlesite.com/news/55...o-save-sector/
 
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China’s Hog Production Recovery May Take Longer Than Expected

1h ago
Bloomberg News, Bloomberg News
  • The higher cost of pork, a key element in China's consumer price basket, will cause the inflation barometer to rise rapidly in coming months, according to economists at Industrial Bank Co., China International Capital Corp., Citic Securities Co., and Nomura International Plc. Photographer: Gilles Sabrie/Bloomberg , Bloomberg
(Bloomberg) -- China’s efforts to normalize hog output by the end of 2020 may face hurdles as breeding costs have risen and most small- to medium-sized farms may not be active in restocking.

Those farms used to supply a lion’s share of China’s hog output before African swine fever outbreaks. The country’s pork output may drop 7.5% from a year earlier to 39.3 million tons in 2020. But production may return to close to normal by next year, according to the agriculture ministry’s outlook committee...:tiphat:https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/china-s-...cted-1.1423997
 
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Jim Long Pork Commentary: US hog market having rough ride

by Jim Long
20 April 2020, at 3:00pm

If misery loves company, we have a real hootenanny* going. (*Scottish word, meaning party)
The utter collapse of the US and some other countries' pork markets is unprecedented. Coronavirus and what it has done to the food chain logistics and demand is crushing.
Random Observations:


Market not working for anyone:
  • US pork cut-outs last Friday at $52.85.
  • Integrated packers with own production, in all likelihood, have a breakeven of $70. If correct losses would be in the $36.00 - $40.00 per head range.
  • Producers farrow to finish losing at least $30.00 per head.
It’s one ugly duckling. No one is winning.

The last week of March the US sow slaughter was 67,201. Last year the average was 57,500. We expect we are in the throes of a massive sow head liquidation....:tiphat:https://thepigsite.com/news/2020/04/...ing-rough-ride
 
Oui, on commence enfin ? voir de vraies actions. Pour ma part, je m'occupe de ce dossier: celui de la valorisation correcte des poissons. Les premiers habitants du Japon avaient montr? la voie, mais combien de personnes mettent cela en oeuvre ?

https://aufildeleauenmeuse.eu/cuisine/

Il faut qu'il y ait du professionnalisme de tous les maillons de la chaine de production ... Si temple Grandin a fait beaucoup, il y a encore du travail , pour valoriser comme il se doit tous les maillons ...
 
Dairy farmers fear for survival as price of milk plummets

0
BY LLB REPORTER AT 2:56 PM APRIL 20, 2020
Some dairy farmers could struggle to survive the coronavirus pandemic, and many are already working at a loss.

Following the closure of restaurants and cafes across the country hitting dairy farmers hard, leaving them with an uncertain future.

Medina Dairy have been forced to cut the pric...:tiphat:https://londonlovesbusiness.com/dair...milk-plummets/
 
COVID-19 pandemic continues to inflict heavy toll on US hog and feed industries


Pork producers, like most other agricultural sectors, are trying to figure out how to stay afloat, financially, during this most difficult period - holding out hope that world economies will begin to ramp up activity as soon as next week.
by Jim Wyckoff
20 April 2020, at 12:39pm
The COVID-19 pandemic that has severely damaged the global economy continues to inflict a very heavy toll on US and European agriculture. Pork producers are in dire need of government assistance.

The US government announced this week a $19 billion relief programme to help US farmers weather the impact of the coronavirus – including food buys for poor Americans and $16 billion in direct payments.

It was initially announced that the Government would purchase milk and meat products as part of a $15.5 billion initial aid package to US farmers hurt badly by the COVID-19 pandemic. USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue said, “We want to purchase as much of this milk, or other protein products, hams and pork products, and move them into where they can be utilised in our food banks, or possibly even into international humanitarian aid.”

More US meat-packing plants were closed or saw significantly reduced production this week, as workers in those plants have tested positive for COVID-19.

Pork and cattle producers are weighing their options on feed rations. Some are thinking of putting their animals on maintenance or low-weight-gain rations to try to wait out the worst of the pandemic that has so severely depressed pork and beef prices.

The key US data point of the week Thursday saw the weekly jobless claims report come in at up 5.2 million claims in the latest week. The pandemic that has seen over 20 million American workers lose their jobs up to this point. In another potentially ominous development for North America and Europe, reports say Chinese consumers coming out of the coronavirus lockdown that lasted several weeks are not in a spending mood. This contradicts notions that once the lockdowns are lifted, holed-up European and North American consumers will coming out swinging regarding spending at retail outlets, including restaurants....:tiphat:https://thepigsite.com/news/2020/04/...eed-industries
 
Amid spike in COVID-19 cases, JBS closes Worthington pork plant indefinitely

The number of COVID-19 cases among JBS workers was 26 as of Monday morning.
By Mike Hughlett Star Tribune

APRIL 20, 2020 — 11:35AM
AARON LAVINSKY – STAR TRIBUNE.

...The Worthington pork facility will wind down operations over the next two days with a diminished staff to ensure existing product in the facility can be used to support the food supply, the company said in a press statement.

“We don’t make this decision lightly,” said Bob Krebs, President of JBS USA Pork. “We recognize JBS Worthington is critical to local hog producers, the U.S. food supply and the many businesses that support the facility each and every day.”..

The plant processes 20,000 pigs a day, and is a critical buyer for Minnesota hog farmers. With over 2,000 employees, the JBS plant is a bulwark of the regional economy and the state’s largest slaughterhouse and meat processing plant..:tiphat:https://www.startribune.com/amid-spi...ely/569787592/
 
In this video he says it's good till it gets worse, and he hopes it don't

MASS DISPOSAL OF MARKET-READY ANIMALS NOT EXPECTED, INDUSTRY LEADER SAYS


4/20/2020

David Meeker, North America Renderers Association, says that the shutdown of meatpacking plants is not expected to overwhelm the industry’s capacity of processing animals and their byproducts.
:tiphat:https://www.agriculture.com/video/ma...ry-leader-says
 
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