COVID-19 Exposing Stress Points in Meat Supply System
By David Murray
High Plains Journal
As the COVID-19 crisis grinds on, it is exposing serious stress points in the nation’s delicately balanced meat supply system. Decades of consolidation and centralization in the meat processing industry have created a system precisely attuned to serve the exact mix of retail and wholesale meat customers that existed prior to the virus.
One of Louisiana’s three poultry integrators in Louisiana has said it is short 200 employees, according to Butch Sensley—and that it might move if it cannot find new ones. Sensley wonders whether it might not be a good idea in a future stimulus bill to “let those workers know they are valued” by providing them with a bonus or other payment—even those who are temporarily unemployed. “The producers can’t fix the employee shortage,” he said. Sawyer agreed that hazard pay to attract more plant workers might be a good idea. Employment is an issue at beef and pork plants too.