Letter to Vice President Mike Pence - Iowa Leaders Urge "Immediate Assistance' from Administration to Support Pork Producers

Letter

Dear Mr. Vice President and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force,

Livestock production is an essential element of Iowa's and our nation's critical infrastructure. Due to
COVID-19 workforce disruptions, U.S. pork production has lost approximately 25 percent of its
processing capacity over the last 3-4 weeks. Pork production operates in a "just-in-time" fashion; at
each step of the production cycle, there are pigs in line ready to move to the next stage. When pigs
reach market weight, they must move to processing. Given severe processing capacity constraints, pigs
are backing up on farms with nowhere to go, resulting in overcrowding and animal welfare issues. At
current capacity levels, there are 700,000 pigs across the nation that cannot be processed each week
and must be humanely euthanized. Iowa produces one-third of the nation's pork supply and one-fourth
of the nation's pork processing capacity. Simply put, Iowa pork producers cannot operate if they can't
send their pigs to market.

While the announcement by USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service that they are standing up
an incident command is helpful and the Interim Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and
prevention and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration provides useful steps for protecting
workers, we urgently request the additional following resources and authorities, including invoking the
Defense Production Act, that will be required to keep Iowa pork production viable:
* Packing plant operations: It is critical that plants continue to operate. Worker safety is
paramount, and the packing industry is doing everything it can to ensure it and follow local,
state and federal recommendations. We urge you to utilize every authority available to keep
plants open, and to re-open closed facilities as soon as it is possible to do so safely.
* Humane euthanasia of hogs: We ask that resources, including and in addition to those
announced by APHIS, be deployed to assist in the humane euthanasia of animals. Resources are
critically needed both on farm and in harvest facilities not currently producing food to safely,
humanely and efficiently depopulate animals. No matter where these depopulation efforts take
place, resources must be brought to bear to assure environmentally responsible disposal
methods are practiced.
* Indemnity: Pork producers in Iowa and nationwide will go out of business, and the industry
could further contract and consolidate, if farmers are not compensated for the animals that they
have no choice but to euthanize. We strongly urge that farmers are indemnified for their
euthanized hogs, including costs associated with depopulation and environmentally sound
disposal, to help preserve Iowa's pork industry. Pork producers also need protection through
legal immunity from attempts by activist organizations to penalize producers who are required
to take these actions to protect the welfare of their animals.
* Mental health assistance: The COVID-19 pandemic presents farmers with non-economic threats
as well. Mental health assistance is important to all affected, but producers who must euthanize
animals cannot be forgotten. Providing mental health assistance to farmers, veterinarians and
others involved in the difficult decisions and processes around euthanizing and disposing of
animals is imperative.

This is an emergency in our rural communities unlike any seen in recent history. Swift and decisive
action will be required to preserve Iowa's farm communities and ensure that safe, affordable and
abundant food remains available in this crisis. We ask for your immediate assistance in addressing these
critical needs.

Sincerely,

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