Posted on 04/23/2020 3:41:29 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
OMAHA, Neb. - Daily reports of giant meat-processing plants closing because workers tested positive for the coronavirus have called into question whether slaughterhouses can remain virus-free.
According to experts, the answer may be no.
Given that the plants employ thousands of people who often work side by side carving meat, social distancing is all but impossible. Because of that, the risk of catching the virus will likely remain even as companies take numerous steps to increase protections for workers.
“It’s not that people aren’t trying. It’s just that it is very difficult to control this illness,” said Dennis Burson, an animal science professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
The list of companies dealing with infected workers has been growing every day at plants across the country. Among the latest was the closure Wednesday of Tyson Foods’ huge pork-processing plant in Waterloo, Iowa, after numerous workers tested positive. That follows closures of a Smithfield Foods pork plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; a JBS beef plant in Greeley, Colorado; and many others. Some, including the Tyson pork plant in Perry, Iowa, have reopened after deep cleanings.
The closures shouldn’t cause any immediate meat shortages or big price jumps at supermarkets, but as Purdue University economist Jason Lusk noted, “It’s a very fluid and volatile situation to keep an eye out for in the days to come.”
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, whose state leads the nation in pork production, acknowledged the likelihood of “clusters of positive cases” at meat-processing plants but said the operations must remain open.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
Can’t stop the virus.
Sounds like they are setting the narrative to ban all meat products
Yeah. That’ll make the watermelons happy.
That picture is making me consider becoming a vegetarian.
Bingo, they found the magic bullet to ban eating meat.
But is the problem the potential exposure to the virus actually on the job or before and after work? What is the risk of “sharing a blunt in the parking lot” compared to actually cutting meat?
You have no idea what those Mexicans do in the fields while they’re picking your lettuce, do you? :-P
Now meats will be stripped from our stores. Good grief...
In our family we have dang near ate any critter that roams our area. One of my all time favorites, armadillo and dumplings served with camp bread.
Time for a DPA takeover of these largely Chinese and foreign owned food supplies
Virus clusters at Why just this industry?
Never happen, people will never give up meat, we’ll just get it through different means. We raise cattle and more and more of our sales are coming from small town butchers. They go straight from the ranch, to the butcher and too the customer. We sell cattle straight to the customer and they choose their butcher. Most standard freezers will hold a side of processed beef and that will last most about a year depending on the cuts you have. Do it this way and you get the cuts you want, plus you can custom blend your hamburger. Most of my hamburger is a blend of bacon and jalapeno. Blend your sausage to taste. I wouldn’t do it any other way. Apart from having to buy a freezer and the cost to run it you’re still running 30 to 40 percent cheaper than store bought. I don’t raise chickens and I don’t raise pig’s. Everything eat’s chickens, coyotes and the occasional mountain lion play hell on eating size pig’s. I still buy my bacon and egg’s across the counter.
Thank god I have access to Amish produce for much of the growing season!
Look at that pic.
Bet it’s not the plants.
Bet it’s the cramped, overcrowded living conditions the workers and their families are living in.
Betcha.
But, just like in the case of NYC, the enemedia doesn’t want to show or talk about that.
I won’t give up meat. I’ll grow it if I have to. It’s a lot of work but grilling a steak or chicken is part of life.
Upton Sinclair could not be reached for comment on China’s impact on the meat-packing industry.
That’s what caused the spike in Singapore’s CCP virus cases — “migrant worker” dormitories.
It’s being spread deliberately now is my guess. By sending infected people in to places. Did you know it is a war crime under Geneva Hague to poison food and water supply?
My mother had 5 brothers and 3 sisters. Their family all went deer hunting and butchered together. They used pork lard to make their sausage and hamburgers. They would even go rabbit hunting and bag 100 rabbits and make “rabbit sausage”. That was a different day but I remember the gatherings where all the work was done was like a big party.
Time for a DPA takeover of these largely Chinese and foreign owned food supplies
Virus clusters at Why just this industry?
******************
Looks deliberate to me.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.