Gotta have my steak!

I just about spit out my cocktail reading the first paragraph!

Iowa meat plants must stay open despite risks, governor says

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds said Monday that Iowa’s meatpacking plants will stay open and continue to spread the coronavirus among workers, warning that shutting them down would be devastating for farmers and the food supply.

Reynolds acknowledged at a news conference that the virus spreads quickly and easily at the plants because so many workers are in close proximity.

She said that “we will continue to see clusters of positive cases” in them.

Reynolds said closing them wasn’t an option, calling the state’s most important objective “keeping that food supply chain moving.”

Otherwise, she warned that farmers would have to euthanize animals scheduled to be sold to plants and the price of food would skyrocket

Sounds like some made up BS and using workers as sacraficial lambs. keep spreading it IOWA!

You could move to Michigan where that govenor there shut down the selling of garden seeds. The articles also from the AP. I’m sure it’s all strait forward and honest news that is published.

You have no idea what closing all of the food processing plants would do to not only food supplies short term but for months maybe even years. Pigs are grown for 10 months and when they’re ready they go in order to let the piglets grow. What do you do when you have no place to bring them? You either kill the full grown and bury it or kill the young one and effect your herd in 10 months. People don’t realize how many animals are processed and how things escalate quickly into food shortages. And the people who lose in this is the farmer and consumer.

There are alot of people you ask the question, where does your food or milk come from… Well i hope most of us here know the answer?

Unfortunately lots of peole still say the store.

Unless you have been in the meat processing industry, formally 25 years for me. There is a huge infrastructure that is involved.

I hope this gets better or we as a country, we haven’t seen anything at all yet, concerning our food supply.

you can go 30 days without food so spare me the speech. It would probably cause a ripple in the food supply but lets just have all these covid positive workers show up and feed America! I will pass on meat for the forseeable future and the rest of you throw those snake eyes…………..good luck! Probably would heal the obesity in the US too

eyeguy507 wrote:

you can go 30 days without food so spare me the speech. It would probably cause a ripple in the food supply but lets just have all these covid positive workers show up and feed America! I will pass on meat for the forseeable future and the rest of you throw those snake eyes…………..good luck

Perfect. More meat for the rest of us.

enjoy the Covid sandwiches and coronaburgers! I find it a challenge to survive on my own and feed my family. this is a great test of our ability to survive.

You don’t deserve any food any farmer or producer creates with that attitude. Canned foods, fruits, vegetables, boxed goods, and baking products. All require farmers and some factory creating end products. Go ahead live your life in fear. All you did was post comments that degrade the food suppliers of not only this country but a lot of the world. There’s going to be family farms that go bankrupt in an already tough market trying to feed a nation. With your expertise you may as well send all healthcare workers home. Why stop at that close the grocery stores where your magical food comes from as well. Growing up on a farm and working in the rural areas of the Midwest it’s amazing at how out of touch some people that have never stepped foot on a farm are.

Just heard yesterday from someone in my area that a farmer just brought 15 prime hogs to a sale and not one of them sold so he brought them home kept one for his family to eat and gave one to his neighbor to eat and had to kill and bury the other 13 couldn’t afford to keep feeding them , I can only imagine how it could affect some of these mass farming corporations

Morel King wrote:

Just heard yesterday from someone in my area that a farmer just brought 15 prime hogs to a sale and not one of them sold so he brought them home kept one for his family to eat and gave one to his neighbor to eat and had to kill and bury the other 13 couldn’t afford to keep feeding them , I can only imagine how it could affect some of these mass farming corporations

You think they could of easily found people to take free hogs instead of just killing them and going to waste

Everyone is an expert nowadays.

I need to quit clicking on these threads, makes my brains hurts bads.

Just because a farmer has the ability to raise pigs doesn’t mean he has the ability to process them and store the meat. Although I don’t know that killing and burying them right away is the right answer either. I would think he could let things shake out for a week.

Andrew Pansch wrote:

You don’t deserve any food any farmer or producer creates with that attitude. Canned foods, fruits, vegetables, boxed goods, and baking products. All require farmers and some factory creating end products. Go ahead live your life in fear. All you did was post comments that degrade the food suppliers of not only this country but a lot of the world. There’s going to be family farms that go bankrupt in an already tough market trying to feed a nation. With your expertise you may as well send all healthcare workers home. Why stop at that close the grocery stores where your magical food comes from as well. Growing up on a farm and working in the rural areas of the Midwest it’s amazing at how out of touch some people that have never stepped foot on a farm are.

You’re only looking at this from the supply side. The issue here is not the meat processing plants closing. It’s the lack of restaurants purchasing food. There is too much meat supply in the system already. Processing plants should be slowing down or halting production because demand dictates that.

I come from a family farming background and agree that is going to have terrible affects. Probably much worse than the low corn and soybean prices that have persisted for so long. However, whether processing plants stay open or close economics indicate that this will be bad for farmers.

And btw, the longer this persists the worse it gets. The governor in Iowa is making a foolish decision that will prolong the economy from getting back on its feet.

I would think he could’ve donated those hogs to a food pantry or some other food program. Lots of people who could use the help right now. That seems kind of selfish to just waste 13 hogs like that. Why throw away 10 grand like that.

I’m just glad I buy my meats right from the farm. This year we did something different. Normally my brother, two sisters and I each buy a whole pig and half a cow each. This year we also got a quarter bison as well.

JBS in Worthington, the largest pork processor in the state of Minnesota, has closed indefinitely as of 4/20/20. They will wind down remaining operations today and tomorrow with limited operations.

It should be no surprise to anyone that some of these meat processing facilities are closing because there is spread of the virus there. Employees work shoulder to shoulder in close proximity and they share break rooms, locker rooms, and other areas of the plant. Its going to get worse in these plants before it gets better. Hopefully they aren’t all knocked out of production at the same time though.

I agree with Iowa’s decision. Its the right thing to do and it shows courage.

riverruns wrote:

You could move to Michigan where that govenor there shut down the selling of garden seeds.

Not a fan of the Gov. Whitmer, but all she did was mandate that the lawn/garden sections of major department stores stay closed. Grass seed itself was never singled out. Biased portions of the media just ran with that because it sounds so absurd.

al-wichman wrote:

I would think he could’ve donated those hogs to a food pantry or some other food program. Lots of people who could use the help right now. That seems kind of selfish to just waste 13 hogs like that. Why throw away 10 grand like that.

Who processes that meat if live hogs are donated? I don’t know of a single food pantry set up for butchering. Also, some pantries will only distribute meat that has been inspected or processed in an inspected facility.
Also, local processors are starting to fill up and their work loads are pushing dates way out for final products.

As a person who goes into hog processing facilities at least weekly, often times more, and lived in iowa my entire life… I am amazed at all the opinions on here… many of them based on what they believe is fact. Sadly there is a lot of misinformed people.

As far as the guy killing the 13 live hogs… take a look at the history of the hog markets from the producers side. I will start to get concerned when we start hearing of an entire barn going in a hole.

tornadochaser wrote:

Who processes that meat if live hogs are donated? I don’t know of a single food pantry set up for butchering. Also, some pantries will only distribute meat that has been inspected or processed in an inspected facility.
Also, local processors are starting to fill up and their work loads are pushing dates way out for final products.

There’s plenty of people around that could butcher there own hog in there garage.

If they really just killed the animals and left them to waste that’s a pretty BS move

Matt Moen wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Andrew Pansch wrote:</div>
You don’t deserve any food any farmer or producer creates with that attitude. Canned foods, fruits, vegetables, boxed goods, and baking products. All require farmers and some factory creating end products. Go ahead live your life in fear. All you did was post comments that degrade the food suppliers of not only this country but a lot of the world. There’s going to be family farms that go bankrupt in an already tough market trying to feed a nation. With your expertise you may as well send all healthcare workers home. Why stop at that close the grocery stores where your magical food comes from as well. Growing up on a farm and working in the rural areas of the Midwest it’s amazing at how out of touch some people that have never stepped foot on a farm are.

You’re only looking at this from the supply side. The issue here is not the meat processing plants closing. It’s the lack of restaurants purchasing food. There is too much meat supply in the system already. Processing plants should be slowing down or halting production because demand dictates that.

I come from a family farming background and agree that is going to have terrible affects. Probably much worse than the low corn and soybean prices that have persisted for so long. However, whether processing plants stay open or close economics indicate that this will be bad for farmers.

And btw, the longer this persists the worse it gets. The governor in Iowa is making a foolish decision that will prolong the economy from getting back on its feet.

How so?

Social distancing and closing businesses isn’t a cure or a vaccine. The spread is inevitable. Slowing down the spread prolongs it.

I agree with her decision.

On an unrelated note Health Partners in Minnesota is issuing a large and unprecedented furlough for many employees this week. Because there’s nothing to do…..

suzuki wrote:

I agree with Iowa’s decision. Its the right thing to do and it shows courage.

If/when the pandemic reaches 30,40,50% of the workers at a meat processing facility, do you think she’d have the courage to continue working there?

Would you have the courage to work there?

The ultimate decision could be made if workers refuse to show up for work anymore.

Matt Moen wrote:

You’re only looking at this from the supply side. The issue here is not the meat processing plants closing. It’s the lack of restaurants purchasing food. There is too much meat supply in the system already. Processing plants should be slowing down or halting production because demand dictates that.

Closed restaurants I’m sure have some negative affect, but people don’t stop eating meat because they have to eat it at home now.

I could be wrong but I think it’s what’s already in the supply chain…packaged for commercial rather than retail.

I don’t know, all I know is that I’m eating just as much meat at home now as I was at restaurants.

Coletrain27 wrote:

There’s plenty of people around that could butcher there own hog in there garage.

This could be one of the most absurd statements I’ve read.

Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>coletrain27 wrote:</div>
There’s plenty of people around that could butcher there own hog in there garage.

This could be one of the most absurd statements I’ve read.

It’s not absurd at all. How many millions of hunters butcher their own deer???

I’m guessing you’re not one of them?

B-man wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Matt Moen wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Andrew Pansch wrote:</div>
You don’t deserve any food any farmer or producer creates with that attitude. Canned foods, fruits, vegetables, boxed goods, and baking products. All require farmers and some factory creating end products. Go ahead live your life in fear. All you did was post comments that degrade the food suppliers of not only this country but a lot of the world. There’s going to be family farms that go bankrupt in an already tough market trying to feed a nation. With your expertise you may as well send all healthcare workers home. Why stop at that close the grocery stores where your magical food comes from as well. Growing up on a farm and working in the rural areas of the Midwest it’s amazing at how out of touch some people that have never stepped foot on a farm are.

You’re only looking at this from the supply side. The issue here is not the meat processing plants closing. It’s the lack of restaurants purchasing food. There is too much meat supply in the system already. Processing plants should be slowing down or halting production because demand dictates that.

I come from a family farming background and agree that is going to have terrible affects. Probably much worse than the low corn and soybean prices that have persisted for so long. However, whether processing plants stay open or close economics indicate that this will be bad for farmers.

And btw, the longer this persists the worse it gets. The governor in Iowa is making a foolish decision that will prolong the economy from getting back on its feet.

How so?

Social distancing and closing businesses isn’t a cure or a vaccine. The spread is inevitable. Slowing down the spread prolongs it.

I agree with her decision.

On an unrelated note Health Partners in Minnesota is issuing a large and unprecedented furlough for many employees this week. Because there’s nothing to do…..

To be fair health partners has had several large layoffs in the last year. That company has been in serious trouble for some time

B-man wrote:

It’s not absurd at all. How many millions of hunters butcher their own deer???

I’m guessing you’re not one of them?

I think there is a reasonable amount of people that could butcher a hog. There certainly is not enough of them to keep up with the current commercial supply that processing facilities handle, however. Not even close.

Also, butchering a hog for oneself is legal but butchering one for someone else is in fact illegal because that is considered a commercial operation and requires the presence of USDA on site for the animal to be slaughtered properly.

B-man wrote:

It’s not absurd at all. How many millions of hunters butcher their own deer???

I’m guessing you’re not one of them?

Consider the % of hunters that harvest animals to the entire population. And consider non-hunters skill/ability to butcher an animal.

More so, consider yet the millions upon millions of folks living in condos or apartments and then ask yourself how likely/able they would butcher an animal in their kitchen or living room.

B-man wrote:
It’s not absurd at all. How many millions of hunters butcher their own deer???

I’m guessing you’re not one of them?

I’ve butchered animals, not conceptually difficult. The more significant challenges revolve around distribution. How do you get pigs (cattle, turkeys, etc.) to scattered locations to be butchered? The Twin Cities metro area has 4 million people. Having them butcher their own meat would require shipping the animals from rural areas to the Metro area, finding facilities for urban dwellers to butcher them and then disposing of carcasses and related waste. There is a reason that industrial meat packing houses exist with a complex supply chain feeding them. Replicating it on a micro scale is not feasible. A relatively small portion of the animals ready to go to market could be absorbed by those who have the knowledge and wherewithal to butcher a hog but that doesn’t feed the masses or take care of the farmers with animals ready for market.

If we have gotten to the point in society where a large % of people cannot kill an animal and eat the meat we have failed entirely. No reason to put a perfectly good animal in the ground when there are people that could benefit from the meat out there. Laws or best practices be damned

Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>B-man wrote:</div>
It’s not absurd at all. How many millions of hunters butcher their own deer???

I’m guessing you’re not one of them?

Consider the % of hunters that harvest animals to the entire population. And consider non-hunters skill/ability to butcher an animal.

More so, consider yet the millions upon millions of folks living in condos or apartments and then ask yourself how likely/able they would butcher an animal in their kitchen or living room.

Did I say people in there garage would hold up the whole meat industry? Heck no, we’re talking 13 hogs and how is butchering a hog yourself absurd? Guessing your one of them guys that can’t butcher his own deer or anything too