March 13, 2020

US pork sector's labour concerns seen to worsen

Due to the impact of COVID-19, the fallout from an ongoing labour shortage facing the US pork industry and other agricultural sectors could significantly worsen, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) stated.

NPPC's concerns regarding COVID-19 are labour specific. There is no evidence that pigs can contract the virus.

In a letter to the president and other administration officials, members of Congress, and state governors, NPPC called for expedited solutions addressing the need for more workers on hog farms and in pork plants. It also called on federal, state and local governments to work together to develop a response to COVID-19 that protects public health and, whenever possible, supports animal care and minimises disruptions to the US pork production supply chain and consumers. NPPC also called on the administration to develop support plans for hog farmers if labour-related bottlenecks in the supply chain prevent hogs from being marketed.

"School closures preventing parents from going to work and caring for their animals are already a concern in farm and plant communities," said NPPC President Howard "A.V." Roth, a hog farmer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin. "The specter of market-ready hogs with nowhere to go is a nightmare for every pork producer in the nation. It would result in severe economic fallout in rural communities and a major animal welfare challenge."

The US pork industry relies on foreign labour and needs a stable workforce. Even without the additional challenge presented by COVID-19, the labour shortage threatens to increase production costs and food prices for consumers. Existing visa programmes are designed for seasonal agriculture, and reform is needed to address the animal care and other requirements of year-round livestock agriculture.