The spread of COVID-19 has shuttered more than a dozen beef, pork and chicken processing plants across the United Stages has greatly reduced speeds because of the pandemic. Organic chicken slaughter has declined on average over the past 3-weeks, year over year but some of that is seasonal. In the US, the food supply chain runs timely inventory and is designed to be nimble. Food production is also spread out across the country, reducing the risks of an issue in one state impacting the entire country.

The spread of coronavirus through US meat processing plants is particularly concerning given that, even under normal circumstances, these facilities are highly sanitized due to federal requirements for pathogen control and food safety. There is generally complete disinfection of the facilities every night after the last shift. Workers are protected from head to toe wearing hard hats, safety goggles, frocks, and boots.

Organic chicken slaughter is spread across the United States with a concentration on the east coast in New York, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. In the mid-west, the concentration is in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. These are organic operations that claim they are slaughter eligible to the NOP with a focus on poultry or chicken. What is of interest is that the New York, and Pennsylvania areas have been significantly impacted by the coronavirus which could be a flag to watch if organic chicken prices begin to accelerate at the supermarket due to supply chain disruptions.

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