Worker shortage concerns loom in immigrant-heavy meatpacking

Stephen Groves and Sophia Tareen for the Associated Press reports on a troubling food supply story in the midst of a global pandemic.  

We have heard of COVID-19 outbreaks in meatpacking plants.   Groves and Tareen report that there are “roughly 175,000 immigrants in U.S. meatpacking jobs. The industry has historically relied on foreign-born workers — from people in the country illegally to refugees — for some of America’s most dangerous jobs.”

With virus outbreaks in plants and the temporary closure of some plants, concerns have grown about the possibility of labor shortages that may make it difficult to meet demand for meat: 

“Companies struggling to hire before the pandemic are spending millions on fresh incentives. Their hiring capability hinges on unemployment, industry changes, employees’ feelings about safety, and President Donald Trump’s aggressive and erratic immigration policies. Trump has restricted nearly all immigration, but his administration recently granted seasonal workers 60-day extensions, affecting a smattering in meat and poultry.”

Stay tuned!

KJ