Meat processing facilities across the state have seen the dramatic impact of COVID-19 with many reporting clusters of positive cases from workers. Fourth District Congressman, Steve King, says our region is no different. As this district is one that leads the nation in pork production, it is troubling to him to see livestock producers facing the back-up in processing that is costing them more than money. According to King, leaders foreshadowed the issues in meat processing plants early on in the pandemic.
King says about six weeks ago, they calculated pork producers would be forced to euthanize one and a quarter million hogs.
Reality, he says, has far exceeded that initial estimate.
Unfortunately, King adds, we are seeing this with chickens and he believes it won’t be long before cattle producers face the same situation. He says he has drafted a piece of legislation to assist pork producers, but it has not yet been introduced.
King explains how the indemnity is calculated on a percentage basis.
Part of the reason the legislation remains in draft form is to ensure the definition of packers protects producers due to the fact that some hog farmers hold shares in local packing plants. The goal, he says, is to keep as many of our pork producers as possible in business. King intends to introduce this legislation as soon as they are allowed to return to session.
