USDA: Meat, poultry plants need COVID-19 testing kits

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said it is imperative that meat and poultry processing plants have access to an ample supply of COVID-19 testing kits, but he acknowledged that securing those kits is not the direct responsibility of the agency he oversees.

Roy Graber Headshot
(Diy13 | Bigstock)
(Diy13 | Bigstock)

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said it is imperative that meat and poultry processing plants have access to an ample supply of COVID-19 testing kits, but he acknowledged that securing those kits is not the direct responsibility of the agency he oversees.

Perdue addressed the need for the testing kits while speaking during a telephone press conference on April 17, when he also discussed details of the $19 billion Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).

As meat and poultry processing has been deemed an essential service, plants across the country have continued to operate amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many companies have reported positive cases of COVID-19 among plant employees. Among those companies are Tyson Foods, Cargill, Wayne Farms, House of Raeford Farms, Empire Kosher Poultry, Sanderson Farms, Mountaire Farms, Perdue Farms, West Liberty Foods, Smithfield Foods, JBS, Lincoln Premium Poultry, Hormel Foods, OSI Group and National Beef.

While there are many instances of meat and poultry plants continuing to operate with added safety measures in place after COVID-19 cases have been confirmed, others have had to suspend operations.

“We cannot afford for these plants to be offline for very long and I think that the key to getting the workforce there it to identify where the positives are, and who all can come back to work,” Perdue said.

The agriculture secretary said the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has had multiple conversations with President Donald Trump’s administration, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as with owners of the processing plants, governors of impacted states and local health departments about the importance of securing those test kits.

“Frankly, it is not the role of the USDA to get the tests. We try to facilitate the connections that we’re able, and to let people know of the urgent need there,” said Perdue.

“We are working on that. That is not a primary USDA function, but we are aware of it and we are talking to everyone to secure these. Hopefully we can get these tests at the appropriate plants as quickly as possible so they can get back online.”

View our continuing coverage of the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic.

Page 1 of 33
Next Page