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Unprecedented. Uncertain. Historic. Frantic. Challenging. Words have been used daily to describe the sudden havoc COVID-19 wreaked on the food system and the economy as America worked to slow the spread of the disease and save lives while we kept a nation fed.

Like many businesses and people who would like to find a reset button for 2020, the veal industry — from farmers to processors — feel the same way. Can anyone even remember what we were anticipating and implementing the first two months of 2020? The impact COVID-19 has had on people and businesses is so unparalleled that it overshadows any original plans for 2020.

Every person and every business was presented challenges they had never faced before. Nonetheless, the turkey industry’s response to the challenges it has faced during the past several months has been remarkable.

COVID-19 has been brutal on the industry. We have seen major producers temporarily shut down, entire segments put out of business, regional disruptions and politicians getting involved in the manufacture and distribution of meat and poultry. I am not telling you anything you don’t know; we have all lived it.

When a look ahead was taken a year ago at this time, the discussion focused on the pending game-changer. That is, when and how much will the China market reopen for U.S. chicken?

Demand drivers. Even without a worldwide pandemic, economic shutdowns and disruptions in food processing, Dan Basse would have covered demand drivers at the 15th annual Feeding Quality Forum.

This year has been a year of unprecedented challenge for the beef industry as we all adapted to navigate a changed world amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Because of COVID-19, 2020 is the ultimate anomaly. Millions of Americans are working from home or sequestered at home. The marketplace disruption caused by COVID-19 spells uncertainty for the year’s most anticipated food and beverage trends.

Driven by the huge increase in at-home meal occasions during the COVID-19 pandemic, bacon, like numerous other proteins, has seen an upsurge in overall buyers vs. a year ago for the latest 52 weeks, ending June 14, 2020, in multi-retail outlets, excluding convenience, according to IRI, Chicago. 

It is time for independent processors to step forward and take a well-deserved bow. During the last few months, our industry has struggled to keep up with the consumer demand for meat and poultry products and has met those difficulties head-on.