COVID-19 and Meatpacking

COVID-19 cases, deaths in meatpacking industry were much higher than previously known, congressional investigation shows

A House of Representatives subcommittee reviewing the coronavirus pandemic found plants owned by five major meatpacking companies accounted for at least 59,000 COVID-19 cases and 269 deaths — much higher than any previous tally.

By Sky Chadde, Investigate Midwest

/ 28 Oct 2021

COVID-19 cases, deaths in meatpacking industry were much higher than previously known, congressional investigation shows

USDA study shows working conditions in meatpacking plants likely drove coronavirus outbreaks

The analysis supports what many meatpacking workers and advocates suspected during the early months of the pandemic — working shoulder-to-shoulder coupled with high line speeds contributed to the virus’ spread.

By Amanda Perez Pintado, Investigate Midwest/Report for America and Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest

/ 6 Oct 2021

USDA study shows working conditions in meatpacking plants likely drove coronavirus outbreaks

PAIN DENIED: At one of the country’s largest meatpacking plants, workers say their injuries were ignored

Workers were told their injuries were “break-in pain,” soreness that comes from adjusting to life in a meatpacking plant. But some injuries were severe enough to warrant additional testing and treatment. In one case, a man was pushed to work with what turned out to be a fractured vertebrae.

By Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest

/ 30 Sep 2021

Kristen Kinsella in front of Guymon sign

A consolidated market leaves ranchers wondering what’s next

While consumers pay high beef prices at the grocery store, very little has trickled down to ranchers — in fact, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the gap between the retail price for beef and the price producers receive is the largest it's ever been. In interviews, eight ranchers in s

By Mary Hennigan, Investigate Midwest

/ 21 Jul 2021

A consolidated market leaves ranchers wondering what’s next

Trump ag secretary Sonny Perdue personally lobbied to keep meatpacking plants open during pandemic, emails show

It’s well-established that Trump administration officials wanted meatpacking plants to keep operating, often with industry pressure, as workers fell ill and died by the dozens. But new emails obtained by nonprofit Public Citizen show Perdue personally lobbying to keep plants open, including pressing

By madison-mcvan-eli-hoff-and-sky-chadde-investigate-midwest, Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest, Eli Hoff, Investigate Midwest and Sky Chadde, Investigate Midwest

/ 2 Jul 2021

Trump ag secretary Sonny Perdue personally lobbied to keep meatpacking plants open during pandemic, emails show

Plagued by COVID outbreaks, the meatpacking industry could be forced to change under Biden

While president-elect Joe Biden has not announced any specific plans to protect meatpacking workers, advocates believe there are things he could, and should, do.

By Sky Chadde, Investigate Midwest, Rachel Axon, USA TODAY and Kyle Bagenstose, USA TODAY

/ 20 Nov 2020

Plagued by COVID outbreaks, the meatpacking industry could be forced to change under Biden

‘All smoke and mirrors’: How Trump’s meatpacking order has failed to keep workers safe

Since the executive order, COVID-19 cases tied to meatpacking plants have skyrocketed from fewer than 5,000 at the time to more than 25,000 as of this week, according to tracking from the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting. Rather than protecting workers, a half dozen experts and advocates s

By rachel-axon-usa-today-sky-chadde-midwest-center-for-investigative-reporting, Rachel Axon, USA TODAY and Sky Chadde, Investigate Midwest

/ 18 Jun 2020

‘All smoke and mirrors’: How Trump’s meatpacking order has failed to keep workers safe

Coronavirus outbreaks climb at U.S. meatpacking plants despite protections, Trump order

Coronavirus outbreaks at U.S. meatpacking plants continue to soar as the beleaguered industry ramps up production, scales back plant closures and tries to return to normal in the weeks after President Donald Trump declared it an essential operation.

By rachel-axon-kyle-bagenstose-usa-today-sky-chadde-midwest-center-for-investigative-reporting, Rachel Axon, USA TODAY, Kyle Bagenstose, USA TODAY and Sky Chadde, Investigate Midwest

/ 6 Jun 2020

Coronavirus outbreaks climb at U.S. meatpacking plants despite protections, Trump order

Cheap chicken, beef came at a cost. How American meat plants bred coronavirus hot spots.

The meatpacking industry has evolved into a marvel of modern efficiency, producing 105 billion pounds annually of poultry, pork, beef and lamb destined for dinner tables across America and the world. That’s nearly double what it produced three decades ago. But its evolution came at a cost. The same

By Sky Chadde, Investigate Midwest, Kyle Bagenstose, USA TODAY, Veronica Martinez Jacobo, USA TODAY and Rachel Axon, USA TODAY

/ 22 May 2020

Cheap chicken, beef came at a cost. How American meat plants bred coronavirus hot spots.

USDA let poultry plants put workers close together even as they got sick from coronavirus.

As coronavirus cases mounted at meatpacking plants this month, the federal government granted 15 poultry processors waivers to cut chickens faster, usually by crowding more workers onto their production lines.

By Sky Chadde, Investigate Midwest and Kyle Bagenstose, USA TODAY

/ 25 Apr 2020

USDA let poultry plants put workers close together even as they got sick from coronavirus.

USDA inspector dies as coronavirus spreads in meat packing plants.

A U.S. Department of Agriculture inspector tasked with ensuring safe food quality at meat processing plants died Thursday after testing positive for COVID-19, a source who was on a call in which the federal agency confirmed the death told USA TODAY.

By kyle-bagenstose-grace-hauk-usa-today-and-sky-chadde-midwest-center-for-investigative-reporting, Kyle Bagenstose, USA TODAY, Grace Hauk, USA TODAY and Sky Chadde, Investigate Midwest

/ 24 Apr 2020

Coronavirus at meat packing plants worse than first thought, USA TODAY investigation finds

A rash of coronavirus outbreaks at dozens of meat packing plants across the nation is far more extensive than previously thought, according to an exclusive review of cases by USA TODAY and the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting. And it could get worse. More than 150 of America’s largest meat

By kyle-bagenstose-sky-chadde-and-matt-wynn-usa-today, Kyle Bagenstose, USA TODAY, Sky Chadde, Investigate Midwest and Matt Wynn, USA TODAY

/ 22 Apr 2020

Coronavirus at meat packing plants worse than first thought, USA TODAY investigation finds