This
is a scary time. Our entire society is fighting an enemy we can't see and have
never fought before.
Everyone is worried and stressed.
There
have been news reports this week about the virus spreading in meat packing
plants and those plants shutting down or significantly slowing production.
What does that mean
for our food supply?
First, we are not
going to run out of food. Yes, a slow down in production may affect the variety
of protein available in some parts of our country, but we are not going to run
out. We may have to get more creative or open minded about what we cook and
serve our families. We may have to try new things or not have our favorite cuts
for a little while.
But, this too shall pass. We will not run out of food.
Packing plants
Workers in packing plants work in very close quarters. They
have to stand near each other. Social distancing is not possible. There are
lots of shared spaces like break rooms, changing rooms, and work areas. It’s
not surprising that the virus spread in the plants because people are so close
to each other.
That doesn't mean that COVID-19 is being passed on to consumers. The USDA does not have any reports of people becoming
infected with COVID-19 from food or food packaging. This virus mainly spreads
from person to person and is a respiratory virus meaning that you become
infected when it enters your nose, eyes, or mouth. Viruses do not grow in food
and when foods are cooked, viruses are killed. Follow the four
steps of food safety to keep your family safe from all illness; wash your
hands, be sure to cook
your food to safe temperatures, keep cooked foods away from uncooked foods,
and be sure to chill your leftovers in a timely manner.
Companies are doing what they can to keep their doors open
and keep their people safe. Many are taking temperatures of employees, testing
employees for the disease, and when people are infected, they stay home from
work. There is lots of extra cleaning and sanitation. Workers are wearing masks (most already wear gloves and wash their hands
frequently). Some companies are providing partitions to keep people apart from
each other.
These plants are in the middle of the food chain, so
shutting down can have devastating consequences up and down the food supply.
Farmers
This disease has been dreadful for farmers. Some dairy farmers are dumping milk and egg farmers
breaking eggs. We’ve heard about potatoes and other produce going to waste
because no one can come pick it. Farmers all over this country have millions of
animals ready to go to harvest in our food supply. Packing plants not
purchasing them is a devastating condition for those farmers. The supply chain
for beef animals goes back over two years to when the cow was bred. Pork and
poultry are not quite as long, but still several months.
Grocery stores
People are buying more food in grocery stores than we’ve
ever seen. Those stores have to have employees there to keep the food on the
shelves. Then there are the truck drivers and supply chain workers that are
also still hard at work in this mess. Those folks are putting themselves at
risk every day because they have to be interact with people. They wear masks
and try to social distance, but it must be so stressful.
In the US, we have the safest, least expensive food supply
in the world. But that takes millions of people working every day. I love to
think about the
scope of our industry. That industry that feeds 300 million people.
Please continue to ask me about the meat industry. Hit me up
with questions about new cuts that you are trying or new ways of cooking. Let
me know about your successes and failures. Send me concerns about food safety.
I’m happy to answer any question you may have.