July 13, 2020

Brazil meat lobby groups resist new regulations increasing distance between meat plant workers

Brazil's animal protein association ABPA and two local trade groups urged the Parana government, Brazil's biggest poultry producing and exporting state to reevaluate new regulations increasing the space between meat plant workers, Reuters reported.

In a joint letter by the meat lobby groups, they said the minimum 1.5 m distancing on the production floor may drop output by as high as 43%. Current average distance between meat plant workers are 0.85cm.

The letter also said federal rules of 1 m, passed on June 19 should apply on Brazilian slaughterhouses over state regulations. Labour representatives in three south states said to Reuters that this distance was not enough.

The industry said 1 m of distancing between meat plant workers could drop output by 18%.

Margaret de Carvalho, Parana's chief labour prosecutor called for an urgent meeting with the governor emphasising the need to enforce local regulations especially as meat plants are COVID-19 hotspots.

According a letter by Carvalho, 16 slaughterhouses currently have or previously reported COVID-19 outbreaks with six plants reported more than 100 cases each.

Brazil's biggest pork producing state, Santa Catarina has considered scrapping its more restrictive regulations for meat plant operations, a move disapproved by local labour representatives.

-      Reuters