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Congress Demands Transparency and Guidance on Meat Processing Plants Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread across the United States, Congress is putting pressure on the Trump administration to provide transparency and guidance on meat processing plants, which have become hotspots for the virus. On International Workers Day, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Missouri, and 46 other members of Congress signed a letter to the Department of Agriculture, Department of Labor, and Department of Health and Human Services, demanding answers on how the administration plans to protect workers and maintain the safety of rural communities.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 6,500 employees at meat processing plants have tested positive or gone into self-quarantine, and 20 workers have died since the start of the pandemic.
  • The letter from Rep. Cleaver and 46 other members of Congress requests transparency on guidance for meat processing plants to ensure worker health and safety before reopening or operating, as well as plans for distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) for plant employees.
  • The letter also asks about coordination with meat companies, employees, state and local health departments, and local communities, as well as the plan and timeline for distribution of PPE and the enforcement mechanisms to ensure OSHA and CDC guidance is adhered to at individual plants.
  • The letter mentions that 788 cases per 100,000 residents have been reported in Saline County, Missouri, which has seen a spike in COVID-19 cases connected to meat processing plants.
  • Rep. Cleaver stated that "an outbreak in one of these plants can lead to a spike in cases in our rural communities at-large, where populations tend to lean disproportionately toward individuals most vulnerable to complications from coronavirus."
  • Rep. Fudge added that "forcing workers to choose between their jobs and their safety is reckless and irresponsible. If frontline food workers are to remain on the job, the Administration needs to put forward a clear plan for how it plans to protect and adequately compensate these workers."

Statistics:

  • Over 6,500 employees at meat processing plants have either tested positive or gone into self-quarantine since the start of the pandemic.
  • 20 workers have died at meat processing plants since the start of the pandemic.
  • 788 cases per 100,000 residents have been reported in Saline County, Missouri.
  • The rate of infection in Kansas City is 108 per 100,000.
  • Conagra has confirmed at least 42 of their 700 employees have tested positive for COVID-19.
  • Cargill has confirmed cases, but declined to cite the total number.

Sources:

  • A news release from Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Missouri, issued on May 2.
  • A letter to the Department of Agriculture, Department of Labor, and Department of Health and Human Services, signed by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Missouri, and 46 other members of Congress, dated May 1, 2020.
  • The United Food and Commercial Workers Union.
  • The New York Times.

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