Trump to order meat plants to stay open during pandemic, despite outbreaks


President Trump plans to invoke the Defense Production Act to order meat-processing plants to remain open during the coronavirus pandemic, as the threat of meat shortage looms, reports Bloomberg.
The government will provide protective gear and increased virus testing capacity to beef, chicken, egg, and pork supply plants. Meat stocks rose at the news of the order, per Bloomberg.
The move comes after Tyson took out a full-page ad in various newspapers Sunday, stating that "the food supply chain is breaking." In the last two months, at least 22 plants have closed, impacting more than 35,000 workers, and leading to a 25 percent reduction in pork slaughter capacity and 10 percent in beef slaughter capacity, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. Estimates showed up to 80 percent of U.S. meat production capacity could shut down, Bloomberg reports.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In response to the closures, the USDA announced it would help producers find alternative markets, and "advise and assist on depopulation and disposal methods."
As of Tuesday, the UFCW estimates there have been 20 worker deaths in meatpacking and food processing related to the virus. At least 6,500 employees having either tested positive, experienced symptoms, been hospitalized, missed work to quarantine, or are awaiting results.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Taylor Watson is audience engagement editor for TheWeek.com and a former editorial assistant. She graduated from Syracuse University, with a major in magazine journalism and minors in food studies and nutrition. Taylor has previously written for Runner's World, Vice, and more.
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies
-
YouTube to pay Trump $22M over Jan. 6 expulsion
Speed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot