Weekly livestock news: October 26, 2020

Packing plants risk COVID resurgence, public health experts say

Public health experts are concerned about a possible resurgence of COVID-19 in food production plants this fall and say more comprehensive testing, physical distancing and better data reporting are essential for keeping the virus in check. This comes even as meatpackers say the worst of the pandemic has passed, the Food and Environment Reporting Network reports. Although cases haven’t reached the levels they were in the spring, experts say there’s still a risk of resurgence even with the efforts taken by meatpackers to slow the spread of the virus. Furthermore, health experts say the sporadic illness data released by public health departments and food companies makes it difficult to assess how well precautionary measures, like barriers between workers or periodic testing, have worked.

Testing and tracing are key for worker safety in pandemic, Tyson working group says

Tyson Foods has filed a 10-page report from a scientific working group outlining what processing plants can do to address worker safety during the pandemic, Meat + Poultry reports. The group included organizational medicine specialists, virologists, immunologists and epidemiologists, according to Tyson. Testing and tracing are top priorities: “Testing remains critical and, to some degree, the most controversial aspect of the battle against COVID-19,” the report said. “The panel focused on the use of viral detection tests rather than antibody tests as a tool to understand and control risks. The United States has struggled more than many other countries to increase the number of tests to the level experts have recommended.”

Essential oils blend shows promise as antibiotic alternative in pigs

Combining essential oils and organic acids could boost the efficacy of both of the antibiotics alternatives, a new study shows. Weaned piglets fed a blend of microencapsulated essential oils and organic acids experienced less diarrhea after being exposed to E. coli than pigs that received an untreated diet, according to researchers at the University of Manitoba. Forty days after their infection, the pigs fed essential oils had less diarrhea than another group of piglets fed a diet containing antibiotic growth promoters, the study said. “Our results imply that microencapsulated organic acids and essential oils can potentially be implemented in strategies for alternatives to antibiotics in swine production,” one researcher told Feed Strategy.

How government and livestock producers are working to prevent the next pandemic

Three out of four new diseases in humans come from animals, and USDA and livestock producers are trying to learn from the global response to COVID-19 so they can be prepared for other new diseases. “No one likes to pay for all of the response capabilities when nothing happens, but then when it happens people look at each other and say why weren’t we better prepared,” said Jack Shere, associate administrator for emergency program planning, response and security at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. People should be surprised more foreign animal diseases haven’t shown up already, said Bob Burns, executive director of innovation and collaboration at the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate. Agencies like APHIS and DHS, the forthcoming $1.2 billion National Bio and Agro-Defense facility, and other initiatives all aim to reduce the threat of new zoonotic diseases. WVIK reports.

National restaurant chains sue poultry processors

Three national food service chains filed lawsuits against major poultry processors seeking the return of overcharges paid on inflated poultry prices, Meat + Poultry reports. Cracker Barrel filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Northern Illinois against Tyson Foods, Pilgrim’s Pride and other poultry companies. White Castle and Golden Corral filed similar lawsuits. The plaintiffs generally claim that the poultry companies engaged in bid-rigging targeted at food service operations and other businesses that purchased broiler chickens in large volumes. They also accuse the processors of conspiring to limit competition in the broiler chicken market by reducing and misrepresenting the supply of broilers and manipulating price indices associated with wholesale broiler prices, particularly the Georgia Dock.

Smithfield Foods president, CEO to retire in early 2021

Smithfield Foods announced that president and CEO Kenneth M. Sullivan will retire from the company, effective early next year. Dennis Organ, chief operating officer of U.S. operations, will succeed Sullivan as president and CEO. Sullivan was in his current role for five years, several of which were devoted to the “One Smithfield” initiative, which unified all Smithfield’s operations, brands and more than 55,000 employees globally under one corporate umbrella. Feedstuffs reports.