WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue released the following statement after President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to keep meat and poultry processing facilities open during the COVID-19 national emergency.
“I thank President Trump for signing this executive order and recognizing the importance of keeping our food supply chain safe, secure, and plentiful. Our nation’s meat and poultry processing facilities play an integral role in the continuity of our food supply chain,” said Secretary Perdue. “Maintaining the health and safety of these heroic employees in order to ensure that these critical facilities can continue operating is paramount. I also want to thank the companies who are doing their best to keep their workforce safe as well as keeping our food supply sustained. USDA will continue to work with its partners across the federal government to ensure employee safety to maintain this essential industry.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the Department of Labor have put out guidance for plants to implement to help ensure employee safety to reopen plants or to continue to operate those still open. Under the Executive Order and the authority of the Defense Production Act, USDA will work with meat processing to affirm they will operate in accordance with the CDC and OSHA guidance, and then work with state and local officials to ensure that these plants are allowed to operate to produce the meat protein that Americans need. USDA will continue to work with the CDC, OSHA, FDA, and state and local officials to ensure that facilities implementing this guidance to keep employees safe can continue operating.
Additional information and details will be released soon.
WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) issued the following statement Tuesday after President Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to declare meat processing plants as critical infrastructure. Under the Executive Order issued tonight, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is directed to make certain America’s meat and poultry processors continue operations uninterrupted to the maximum extent possible.
“Yesterday, I wrote to President Trump to underscore the need to invoke the Defense Production Act to keep food processing plants open safely,” said Rounds. “I’m pleased the president took this necessary action to make certain our food supply chain can continue to provide food to American families during this time of crisis. I’ll continue to work with the administration and stakeholders to protect the health of our food processing workers, and get idle plants up and running as quickly as possible.”
Yesterday, Rounds sent a letter to President Trump urging him to take this action. Earlier this week, Rounds sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence calling for the administration to develop a plan that simultaneously protects food workers and public health, as well as addresses the nation’s on-farm and on-ranch livestock emergency. He continues to work with producers, stakeholders and the administration to develop a plan to help producers address the food production crisis.
WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s Executive Order on U.S. supply chains:
“South Dakota farmers and ranchers are getting battered out there,” said Johnson. “It’s imperative our supply chains remain open for both the American people and our producers. I’m encouraged the president and USDA are working to ensure our supply chains remain open both safely and swiftly. Our supply chains should continue to carry many of these safety practices into the future so we can ensure our economy isn’t faced with uncertainty down the road.”
Earlier Tuesday, Johnson spoke with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue regarding supply chain closures. Johnson has spoken with the administration and USDA regarding solutions for farmers and ranchers facing economic hardship daily since the closure of the Smithfield plant in Sioux Falls.
On April 16, Johnson, along with Senator Thune, led a Midwest delegation in urging USDA to assist pork producers and maintain the pork supply food chain. On March 16, Johnson, along with Senator Tillis (R-NC), urged USDA to take all necessary steps to ensure there are no disruptions to our nation’s food supply. Additionally, on March 19, Johnson requested U.S. House leadership include $50 billion in aid for farmers and ranchers. Several of the South Dakota delegation’s requests were included in the final text of the CARES Act.
DENVER, CO- Tuesday, President Trump signed an executive order that orders beef packing plants to remain open and employees in those plants to remain at work through the COVID-19 pandemic. The action taken by President Trump will help keep the beef supply chain intact, ensure beef remains available to consumers and ultimately provide the food that American consumers will need to reopen the nation.
“While there are currently no widespread shortages of beef, we are seeing supply chain disruptions because of plant closures and reductions in the processing speed at many, if not most, beef processing plants in the United States. We thank President Trump for his recognition of the problem and the action he has taken today to begin correcting it,” said NCBA CEO Colin Woodall. “American consumers rely on a safe, steady supply of food, and President Trump understands the importance of keeping cattle and beef moving to ensure agriculture continues to operate at a time when the nation needs it most.”
Protecting the flow of cattle through the supply chain was among the first priorities for NCBA at the start of the COVID-19 crisis. The mounting problems facing cattle producers as the supply chain slowed, led NCBA to redouble its effort to keep cattle and beef moving. Today’s action comes because of the association’s work on behalf of the entire industry. NCBA’s work on this topic is critical to reducing the damage being inflicted upon cattle producers who are unable to get cattle shipped or processed because of unprecedented supply chain interruptions.
“We understand and appreciate the difficulties facing processing plant workers during this crisis, said Woodall. “Processing plant employees play a role that is critical to the security of this nation and America’s cattle producers offer their sincere gratitude for the work they are doing to keep food shortages from compounding the complex issues we’re facing.”
WASHINGTON, DC– President Trump last night invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) to extend much-needed federal support to the U.S. pork production system. By triggering the DPA, the federal government will prioritize the continuity of pork processing plant operations. The following statement may be attributed to Howard “A.V.” Roth, NPPC president and a producer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin.
“We are thankful for the support extended by our federal, state and local government leaders. As we all work together to protect workers and the nation’s food supply, we need uniform and consistent solutions and all available resources to address this unprecedented crisis. We thank President Trump for taking this step.
“We must safely stabilize the current plant capacity challenge and overcome other major hurdles facing the nation’s pork production system, one that employs 550,000 workers and generates $23 billion in personal income across rural America. Hog values have plummeted to virtually zero and hog farmers are facing liquidation of their farms and other assets without immediate relief, including expanded financial aid without payment limitations.
“While getting pork packing plants back online is foundational, the tragic reality is that millions of hogs can’t enter the food supply. We need coordinated partnership between the industry and federal, state and local authorities to euthanize pigs in an orderly, ethical and safe way.”
