The Smithfield Foods pork processing plant in Sioux Falls is operating at 95 percent of capacity. South Dakota Pork Producers Council Executive Director Glen Muller says the plant is adding Saturdays to the slaughter schedule to work through the backlog in hogs. “The weights are starting to come down on our market hogs which is another indicator that we’re getting more current.” Attempts are being made to secure indemnity payments for those producers who had to euthanize pigs or sell them at a significant loss. “We’re definitely concerned particularly should there be a second wave of COVD-19 which would slow down or shutdown our plants.”
