In the news

According to the USDA, beef facilities are operating at 98% capacity, pork facilities are operating at 95%, and poultry facilities are operating at 98% of their capacity compared to the same time last year.
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue applauded the data, attributing the operations to the safe reopening of the facilities, and thanked industry and its workers. The meatpacking closure caused shortages at grocery stores and a backlog of animals ready to slaughter, creating depressed prices for farmers, yet higher prices for consumers. @ https://salinapost.com/posts/5ee11120ebfb13423b27701d

Although the Pacific Northwest seafood companies drafted rigorous plans to eliminate the spread of coronavirus in the industry, where processors also work in close quarters, an outbreak just erupted. The industry just saw its first outbreak aboard a large vessel with an onboard fish processing factory. Seattle-based American Seafoods verified that 92 crew from its American Dynasty ship had tested positive for COVID, nearly 3/4 of the 126 people on board. American Seafoods says it tested workers before they were allowed on board, but its minimum advance quarantine was just five days, not the 14 days for infected people to show symptoms. The new measures taken to prevent an outbreak included masks, temperature checks, and screenings before boarding did not seem to prevent the outbreak. This outbreak isn’t the first coronavirus case among seafood workers. Bristol Seafood closed its processing plant in Maine for two days after five workers tested positive for coronavirus, and a Trident Seafood worker in Alaska tested positive last month. But this is the first outbreak at sea. American Seafoods reported that 25 crew members tested positive on two different fishing vessels, the Northern Jaeger and the American Triumph. Each ship has more than 110 workers. Most of the crew on the ships tested negative, but there were four positives on Triumph and 21 on Northern Jaeger. @ https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/06/05/870312092/pacific-northwest-seafood-industry-faces-covid-19-outbreak-as-season-ramps-up

As of June 9, 2020, the CDC declared that the outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes linked to Enoki mushrooms from Green Co, LTD. of the Republic of Korea, is over. The recalled Enoki mushrooms from Sun Hong Foods, Inc., Guan’s Mushroom Co., and H&C Food, Inc. are past their shelf-life and should no longer be available. This outbreak included 36 illnesses with 31 hospitalizations and four deaths. States with Cases: AZ (2), CA (9), FL (2), HI (3), IN (1), KY (1), MA (2), MD (2), MI (1), MO (1), NC (1), NJ (1), NY (4), RI (1), TN (1), VA (3), WA (1)Product Distribution*: CA, FL, IL, NY, MD, OR, PA, TX, VA, and WA. Sun Hong Foods Inc. sold its mushrooms to J&L Supermarket, Jusgo Supermarket, ZTao Market, New Sang Supermarket, Galleria Market, Distributors in CA, FL, IL, OR, TX, and, WA. Guan’s Mushroom Co. Sold to Distributors and Wholesalers in CA, NY, PA. H&C Foods Inc. sold its products to Great Wall Supermarket in NY, MD, and VA. @ https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-listeria-monocytogenes-enoki-mushrooms-march-2020?utm_campaign=Outbreak_Listeria_Monocytogenes_Mushrooms_06%2F09%2F2020&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua

USA Today reported that meat production rebounded after the President’s order to near pre-coronavirus levels.  However, the number of coronavirus cases tied to meatpacking plants is topping 20,400 infections across 216 plants in 33 states, and 74 people dead. That is despite widespread implementation of protective measures like temperature checks, plastic barriers, and social distancing meant to curb the virus’ spread inside the plants. Tyson Foods, for example, provided face masks to all employees and installing barriers between workers. However, since the announcement, 24 of its plants have reported outbreaks, including two in Iowa that sickened more than 800 workers total. Smithfield Foods installed barriers, adding more hand sanitizing stations and “enhancing cleaning and disinfection” at its facilities. Since then, 11 of its plants have reported outbreaks. Public health agencies face potential litigation if they try to close the plants. But many agreed that state and local health officials retain the authority to close them. Major companies like Smithfield and Tyson have largely improved their workspaces, smaller plants that employ a few dozen workers, and have more limited resources have not. But the industry’s continued inability to prevent the spread of the virus points to the ineffectiveness of those guidelines. The only real way to prevent transmission would require really significantly slowing down and reconfiguring the way these plants operate, spacing out workers in a way that the companies are not willing to do. @ https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2020/06/06/meatpacking-plants-cant-shake-covid-19-cases-despite-trump-order/3137400001/