Transcript
Across the country, meat processors are temporarily shutting down as workers are getting infected with COVID-19.
Recently one of the largest pork processing facilities in the country announced it was closing until further notice.
Smithfield Foods closed its Sioux Falls, South Dakota facility.
Employees at that facility accounted for about half of the coronavirus cases in South Dakota.
The facility accounts for 4% to 5% of the country’s pork production and employs about 3,700 people.
The closures are devastating to meat producers.
But that doesn’t mean America is about to run out of meat.
At least not yet.
Experts say that plant closures or reductions in operations due to less workers may mean fewer options but not less meat altogether.
For example you can still get chicken but there may not be a deboned product available for the next few weeks.
Because there aren’t enough workers to do that.
The situation could get worse if plants stay closed for a long time or if many close at once.
In the long-term, meat prices could go up.
But for now, US consumers don’t have to worry about shortages in supermarkets.
However experts say if people panic buy, there could be a shortage, which we have already seen in toilet paper and cleaning supplies.
So you should not panic buy.
Posted – 4.14.20