Rochelle Foods plant ordered to close due to COVID-19 outbreak
24 coronavirus cases have been linked to Rochelle Foods facility
By JEFF HELFRICH
April 17, 2020
ROCHELLE – An outbreak of COVID-19 has forced the Ogle County Health Department to order the closure of Hormel’s Rochelle Foods plant.
As of Friday, 24 cases have been linked to the facility: 19 in Ogle County, three in Whiteside County and two in Winnebago County.
*****
Meat Prices Suddenly Surge As Food Processing Plants Shut Down, With 1000s Of Tons Left To Spoil
by Tyler Durden
Sun, 04/19/2020 - 17:40
As we pointed out earlier in the week, China-owned Smithfield Food’s decision to temporarily shutter the largest pork processing plant in the US, based in Sioux Falls, SD, due to a coronavirus outbreak is a much more significant even than the mainstream media gave credit for. While WaPo focused on bashing the state’s governor, whose refusal to issue a ‘stay at home’ order was blamed for the outbreak, the real significant wasn’t accorded sufficient time and attention, we feel.
The real takeaway here, is that the supply chain for American staples was badly damaged by the outbreak, with the damage still more extensive and stubborn than government officials have really acknowledged. Two months on, and millions of Americans are still having trouble finding toilet paper and sterilizing wipes. A comprehensive list of products in perpetual short-supply would be quite lengthy, at this point.
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/price-meat-climbing-quickly-more-food-processing-plants-close
*****
JBS, Cargill Employees To Receive Raise Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
April 19, 2020 at 2:25 pm
On top of masks, gloves and face shields for employees, JBS will also install plexiglass shields in areas where social distancing is not possible. Union officials say cafeterias and breakrooms will expand for better social distancing.
Employees at Cargill will receive a $2 per hour pay raise between March 23 and May 5.
https://denver.cbslocal.com/2020/04/19/jbs-cargill-raise-coronavirus/
Pentagon extends travel ban for all troops to June 30
The new order takes effect on Monday.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/18/pentagon-extends-troops-travel-ban-193602