Late Tuesday, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue sent letters to state governors and meat and poultry processing company leaders setting forth USDA’s expectations for continued operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. These letters follow President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order issued last week ordering USDA to take all appropriate actions to ensure that meat and poultry plants continue operations consistent with industry guidance jointly issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) intended to protect plant worker safety. This post summarizes these letters and outlines key takeaways.
