Like all aspects of the meat industry, the pork sector has faced a challenging two years. On the bright side, there is sustained demand, as consumers are looking for pork in all varieties, from chops and ground pork to further-processed items like sausages and bacon. Unfortunately, this surge in demand also comes during a time where the COVID pandemic has battered the supply chain, with shutdowns at many of the major pork processing plants and labor shortages as the facilities look to ramp up production.
“Many plants are currently working at reduced capacities due to both a decrease in employee numbers and the social distancing policies enacted because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” explains Christina Bakker Ph.D., Extension Meat Science Field Specialist at South Dakota State University, located in Brookings. “The social distancing policies generally call for fewer employees on each line compared to pre-pandemic spacing. This reduced production capacity per day has resulted in many plants transitioning to six-day workweeks indefinitely to make up the difference. The reduction in days off has in turn negatively impacted employee morale, causing many people to quit their jobs.”