New BBC report on meat industry problems:

[Link]

From the report:
Although chicken and cattle farmers are facing a similarly paradoxical situation, as are milk and egg producers, because of the tight time frame between when a pig is born to when it is ready for slaughter, some of the most drastic actions are occurring on these farms first. According to the Minnesota Pork Producers Association, an estimated 10,000 pigs are being euthanised every day in the state.

The first major sign of trouble came at a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, pork processing plant called Smithfield - one of the largest in the nation, responsible for about 5% of the nation's pork products. Coronavirus ripped through the 3,700 workers, who have to stand extremely close together on production lines as they debone carcases and carve up huge cuts of meat.

By mid-April, when the plant finally shut down under pressure from local politicians, it had become the number one Covid-19 hotspot in the country, with 644 cases tied to the factory.

Around the US, 170 meat and poultry processing facilities reported coronavirus cases. According to the CDC, nearly 5,000 workers have fallen ill. At least 45 have died.

"There are actual human faces tied to all the goods that [you] buy at the store," says Sara Telahun Birhe, the daughter of a Smithfield worker in Sioux Falls. "Those people are being exploited."

Edited by sitdownstandup (09 May 2020 5.29am)

Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible God and destroys a visible Nature. Unaware that this Nature he’s destroying is this God he’s worshipping.

Hubert Reeves

Are you an animal activist.

It's happened again, this time in Germany.

Hundreds of workers test positive:

[Link]

Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible God and destroys a visible Nature. Unaware that this Nature he’s destroying is this God he’s worshipping.

Hubert Reeves

Can't go the pub, can't eat meat, can't go to the football, I'm seeing a pattern here. At least the hairdressers were closed too, for a bit of balance. They'll be taking my fags next.

Red and Blue Army!

Crazy. That's what happened when there's no natural immunity to something. With increasing amounts of data available though, the government should put it front and centre in helping people to make decisions about their health.

Young people generally speaking don't have much to worry about, and can help the economy tick over. All the University lectures over webcam stuff sounds pointless to me. I know the government is scared of offending their voter base, but they ought to routinely differentiate how people should behave at this time based on age and health.

In the Uk too now - nearly 100 workers test positive at 2 places:

[Link]

Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible God and destroys a visible Nature. Unaware that this Nature he’s destroying is this God he’s worshipping.

Hubert Reeves