Meat producers closely eye packing plants

    With three major pork processors shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and others in precarious shape, area livestock producers are a bit jittery about the possibility of getting their animals processed.
    “If you have plants shutting down, there’s just that much less competition for buying those cows,” said John Maddux of Maddux Cattle Co. in Wauneta. “It’s a huge concern of mine.”
    And Rod Wheeler, who raises both pigs and cattle near Wauneta, chuckles and gives a one-word answer when asked what he’ll do if his usual processors close down: “Pray.”
    Nationwide, some of the largest processing plants have had to shut down after employees tested positive for coronavirus, while smaller ones are closing for deep cleaning and testing of employees.
    Pork processing plants that have closed include Smithfield Foods in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, JBS pork processing in Worthington, Minnesota and Tyson Fresh Foods in Waterloo, Iowa—which, taken together, handle 15% of the nation’s pork production.

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