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Tuesday, April 28, 2020

2 million chickens being killed because processing plants are short-staffed

The coronavirus is having an impact on farmers and our food supply in more ways than one.

With not enough people to process the chicken because of COVID-19 restrictions, poultry farmers are being forced to euthanize their stock.

About 2 million chickens in Delaware and Maryland are being humanely killed because chicken processing plants are short-staffed.

The manpower shortage at chicken processing plants is because of community cases of COVID-19 and social distancing.

Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc. says it investigated several options, and could not find a better solution.

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14 comments:

Anonymous said...

No backup plan?

Of course not - we don't do that anymore. AND you need resources (people) in the equation to make anything happen.

How do we accomplish that in the future?
Can we accomplish any type of backup plan with this types of situations requiring people in the future?

Different times indeed!

Anonymous said...

The manpower shortage is not because of social distancing. It is because the employees are getting paid substantially more on unemployment. Why go back to work? Healthcare employees are "essential" as well. We wear PPE, but do not have the opportunity for social distancing on the job. Maryland is now paying $600/week for unemployment, the equivalent of $15/hour. Minimum wage is $11 in Maryland. Can't say I blame them.

Anonymous said...

It’s shocking nothing else could be done. Hell let them out and you can keep what you catch. Or start hunting the record sized foxes.

Anonymous said...

Why euthanize them. Let the chickens free range, people will get them, raise them, then eat them.

Anonymous said...

They could put more whole chickens on the shelf with less workers but that will bring them less $$$

Scum

Anonymous said...

Landfill seagulls are celebrating the new bounty.

Anonymous said...

Seagulls - hahahahahha, at least they prosper.

Ugh.

Anonymous said...

"Anonymous said...
The manpower shortage is not because of social distancing. It is because the employees are getting paid substantially more on unemployment. Why go back to work? Healthcare employees are "essential" as well. We wear PPE, but do not have the opportunity for social distancing on the job. Maryland is now paying $600/week for unemployment, the equivalent of $15/hour. Minimum wage is $11 in Maryland. Can't say I blame them.

April 28, 2020 at 9:25 AM"

The problem with what you are claiming is that it is not true. Almost all these employees are NOT eligible since they are NOT citizens. Many are illegal with fake docs. Go into Selbyville, Georgetown etc and ask them. Almost ALL want to get back to work but are quarantined due to exposure.

Anonymous said...

10:55: So if that is the case then unemployment can actually be down and they can hire LEGAL citizens.

Anonymous said...

God is so mad at this world and He's trying to get His message across.

Anonymous said...

Sell them live at the Farmers markets there are plenty of us that know how to pluck a chicken.

Anonymous said...

And you can't even find a Perdue oven stuffer in the whole city and yet the main plant is here. What there has been produced would go to cities like New York anyway. I say we all switch over to the other chicken manufacturers anyway less chicken sludge in the Wicomico River. Rather than sell Perdue Products cheaper and hire help this is their solution--Good Bye Perdue.

Anonymous said...

The "humane" way of killing the chickens is to close the doors and windows, turn up the heat and the basically overheat/ suffocate..takes about an hour and a half... sounds really humane, doesn't it?

Anonymous said...


Set them free on the beach; it's empty now and they can forage. Also worth noting that none were expected to live much longer under normal conditions.