Worker safety takes precedence as the meatpacking industry deals with the COVID-19 crisis. Minnesota House Agriculture Committee Chair Jeanne Poppe says the food supply chain also needs to operate. With the closure of major packing facilities, Poppe says hog farmers will be forced into a grim situation. “It may be as many as 200,000 animals that would need to be destroyed in the coming couple weeks here.” When birds were destroyed during the avian influenza outbreak five years ago, there was an indemnity payment for farmers because it was an animal health crisis. That’s not available if hog farmers euthanize animals due to a backlog at the packing plant. “The reason they can’t take their animals to market is not because of the health of the animals, it is because of the health of the animals. It is catastrophic for farm families because there is nothing more they can do.” The Minnesota legislative session ends on May 18th. Poppe anticipates one or more special sessions may be necessary this summer or fall.
News Categories
Latest RRFN Podcasts
Subscribe to RRFN
Get a weekly digest from RRFN to stay up-to-date on all the latest news in agriculture.