Updated content throughout — President Donald J. Trump has by Executive Order placed the American meat industry under the Defense Production Act to prevent meat shortages by keeping meat processing plants open.
The Defense Production Act or DPA was passed by Congress in 1950 and signed into law by President Harry Truman. Under the DPA, the president is empowered to direct private companies to act in the national interest during times of war, national emergency, or after terrorist attacks. President Trump previously used the DPA to increase the production of health care supplies.
Meat slaughter and processing plants are being declared “critical infrastructure” for the duration of the coronavirus outbreak to prevent any further disruptions or shortages in the food supply
Top companies in the meat and poultry industries since early April have used temporary closures when COVID-19 was cutting into staffing levels.
Closures and production reductions cut pork capacities by as much as 25 percent and beef production by as much as 10 percent.
Port producers and cattlemen on America’s farms and ranches have been hammered by this loss of production as markets for animals “on the hoof” plunged.
John Tyson said in company advertising this past weekend that the supply chain is broken. After predictions that 80 percent of meat production could eventually be shut down, Trump acted.
The Executive Order follows the release of joint guidance for meat plants that was issued earlier this week by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
By enacting the DPA, the meatpacking and processing facilities should be able to receive more tests and protective gear as they remain open. Trump was urged to take the action by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Iowa Sens. Joni Ernst and “Chuck” Grassley.
The meat, fresh produce, and dairy industries were turned upside down when restaurants and institutions like schools were shut down over the virus scares.
Farm state officials are also asking for federal reimbursement to hog farmers who say they are being forced to euthanizing pigs because they’ve lost viable markets.
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue released the following statement after President Trump signed the Executive Order to keep meat and poultry processing facilities open during the COVID-19 national emergency.
“I thank President Trump for signing this executive order and recognizing the importance of keeping our food supply chain safe, secure, and plentiful. Our nation’s meat and poultry processing facilities play an integral role in the continuity of our food supply chain,” said Perdue.
“Maintaining the health and safety of these heroic employees in order to ensure that these critical facilities can continue operating is paramount. I also want to thank the companies who are doing their best to keep their workforce safe as well as keeping our food supply sustained. USDA will continue to work with its partners across the federal government to ensure employee safety to maintain this essential industry.
Under the Executive Order and the authority of the Defense Production Act, USDA will work with meat processing to affirm they will operate in accordance with the CDC and OSHA guidelines and then work with state and local officials to ensure that these plants are allowed to operate to produce the meat protein that Americans need.
USDA will continue to work with the CDC, OSHA, FDA, and state and local health department officials to ensure that facilities implementing this guidance to keep employees safe can continue operating.
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谷歌翻译——
整个内容都有更新- 总统唐纳德·J·特朗普已通过行政命令将美国肉类产业置于《国防生产法》之下，以通过保持肉类加工厂的开放来防止肉类短缺。
1950年，国会通过了《国防生产法》或DPA，并由哈里·杜鲁门总统将其签署为法律。根据DPA，总统有权指挥私人公司在战争时期，国家紧急状态或恐怖袭击后为国家利益行事。 特朗普总统以前曾使用DPA来增加医疗保健用品的产量。
在冠状病毒爆发期间，肉类屠宰场和加工厂被宣布为“关键基础设施”，以防止食物供应的任何进一步中断或短缺
自4月初以来，肉类和家禽业的顶级公司在COVID-19裁员时采用了临时关闭的方式。
停业和减产将猪肉产能削减了25％，将牛肉产量削减了10％。
由于“有蹄子”的动物市场暴跌，这种生产的损失使美国农场和牧场的港口生产者和牧民受到了打击。
约翰·泰森（John Tyson）在上周末的公司广告中表示，供应链已中断。在预测最终将关闭80％的肉类生产之后，特朗普采取了行动。
在执行命令之前，联邦疾病控制与预防中心（CDC）和职业安全与健康管理局（OSHA）于本周早些时候发布了针对肉类植物的联合指南 。
通过制定DPA，肉类包装和加工设施应保持开放状态，从而能够接受更多的测试和防护装备。爱荷华州州长金·雷诺兹和爱荷华州参议员乔尼·恩斯特和“查克”·格拉斯利敦促特朗普采取行动。
当餐馆和学校等机构因病毒恐慌而关闭时，肉类，新鲜农产品和乳制品行业被彻底颠覆了。
农场州官员还要求向养猪户支付联邦补偿，因为他们失去了可行的市场，他们被迫对猪实行安乐死。
在特朗普总统签署《行政命令》以在COVID-19国家紧急状态期间保持肉类和家禽加工设施开放之后，农业部长桑尼·珀杜（Sonny Perdue）发表了以下声明。
“我感谢特朗普总统签署了这一行政命令，并认识到保持我们的食品供应链安全，有保障和充足的重要性。我们国家的肉类和家禽加工设施在我们食品供应链的连续性中发挥着不可或缺的作用。” Perdue说。
维护这些英勇员工的健康和安全，以确保这些关键设施能够继续运行至关重要。我还要感谢那些正在尽最大努力确保员工安全以及维持我们的食品供应的公司。USDA将继续与整个联邦政府的合作伙伴合作，以确保员工安全，以维持这一重要行业。
根据《行政命令》和《国防生产法》的授权，美国农业部将与肉类加工部门合作，以确认它们将按照CDC和OSHA准则进行操作，然后与州和地方官员合作，以确保这些工厂可以经营生产美国人需要的肉蛋白质。
美国农业部将继续与CDC，OSHA，FDA，州和地方卫生部门官员合作，以确保实施该指南以确保员工安全的设施能够继续运行。
