In the news

Foodinsight published a survey on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on food-related habits. They found that people are doing less shopping in-person and cooking more. ½ of the surveyed taker are shopping less in person, buying more in each shopping trip, and buying more shelf-stable products.  Online grocery shopping increases. 16% started shopping for groceries online; 13% report increasing the frequency of online deliveries. Recommended health habits and grocery shopping.  Only 63% of people report doing so after visiting the grocery store. ½ are trying to minimize touching surfaces. Women were more likely than men to be taking many precautions, and white people were more likely to do so as compared to other races/ethnicities. Those 65+ had the highest percentage of people washing their hands after shopping (73%), minimizing touching surfaces (62%) and shopping during less busy times (50%).  The most concerning parts of food shopping. 42% of respondents were most worried about the health of other shoppers, while 37% were worried about the health of store employees. 28% were concerned about running out of staple items. Buying more packaged foods. 42% are buying more packaged foods than usual. Eating habits have changed.  27% said that they’ve been snacking more, and 15% say they’re eating more than usual. Most are confident in the safety of the food supply. 80% are confident that the food they are buying is safe. @ https://foodinsight.org/consumer-survey-covid-19s-impact-on-food-purchasing/

Smithfield Foods, Inc. announced today in a press release that its Sioux Falls, SD facility will remain closed until further notice. The plant is one of the largest pork processing facilities in the U.S., representing four to five percent of U.S. pork production. It supplies nearly 130 million servings of food per week, or about 18 million servings per day, and employs 3,700 people. More than 550 independent family farmers supply the plant. Initially, Smithfield suspends operations in part of the plant on April 11 and completely shutter the plant April 12 to 13 for deep cleaning, sanitization and to erect physical barriers to enhance social distancing. Kenneth M. Sullivan, president, and chief executive officer, for Smithfield, recognizes that these facility closures will also have severe, perhaps disastrous, repercussions for many in the supply chain.  Numerous plants across the country have COVID-19 positive employees. We have continued to run our facilities for one reason: to sustain our nation’s food supply during this pandemic. We believe it is our obligation to help feed the country, now more than ever. We have a stark choice as a nation: we are either going to produce food or not, even in the face of COVID-19,” he concluded. Smithfield will resume operations in Sioux Falls once further direction is received from local, state and federal officials. The company will continue to compensate its employees for the next two weeks and hopes to keep them from joining the ranks of the tens of millions of unemployed Americans across the country. @ https://www.smithfieldfoods.com/press-room/company-news/smithfield-foods-to-close-sioux-falls-sd-plant-indefinitely-amid-covid-19

In the past few days, more food facilities saw cases on COVID-19 among employees. Smithfield Foods closed its plant in Sioux Falls, SD for 3 days because more than 80 employees tested positive for COVID-19. During the closure, Smithfield plans to clean and sanitize the plant and install additional physical barriers for improved social distancing. In Hazleton, PA, Cargill has sent 900 employees home “indefinitely” from a meat processing facility. Cargill promised to open the facility once it is safe. Cargill is adding temperature testing, additional cleaning and sanitizing, and social distancing measures to its Hazleton facility. It will also stagger work breaks and offer more flexible shifts while prohibiting visitors when it re-opens. In Maple Leaf Foods, in Ontario, Canada, suspended operations at Brampton after three employees tested positive for COVID-19. While closed, Maple Leaf will deep clean the plant and further investigate the spread of the virus. Tyson Foods, in Columbus Junction, IA, ceased operations at its pork plant after 24 cases of COVID-19 were reported at the facility. Tyson is shifting livestock from the Columbus Junction pork plant to other facilities. While the facility is closed Tyson will make the safety and cleanliness improvements to help mitigate the spread of the virus, including deep cleaning and sanitizing. It is also installing dividers between work areas for social distancing. Face masks and other personnel protective equipment are being deployed for the re-opening. @ https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2020/04/death-illness-reports-cause-industry-to-get-busy-with-covid-19-mitigation-measures/

Some employees in food manufacturing facilities test positive for COVID-19. Three employees of Iowa-based West Liberty Foods have tested positive for COVID-19and the West Liberty plant has been closed until Tuesday, April 14. The infected team members and individuals working in proximity who were determined to be at moderate or high risk have been sent home to self-quarantine with pay. The company will conduct an “intensive cleaning. The Trump administration is exploring options for conducting coronavirus testing for all U.S. food plant employees, to help keep the food supply chain moving through the pandemic. Several meat processing plants have closed down in the last five days, some for a few days and others for two weeks and possibly more. Some companies are facing criticism for continuing to operate, with workers saying the gear and policy changes meant to reduce the chances of spreading the virus within the production plant environment are inadequate. Widespread testing would help identify positive cases and assure other workers’ safety.@ https://www.meatingplace.com/Industry/News/Details/91456