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Chick-News.com Poultry Industry News, Comments and more by Simon M. Shane

Tyson Applying Advanced Technology to Prevent COVID

11/18/2020

Under the guidance of CEO, Dean Banks, Tyson has introduced a number of innovative programs to prevent and control COVID among employees in beef and pork packing plants and poultry processing facilities. Banks has a background in technology and pharmaceutical companies and has applied his knowledge and experience to providing a high level of security for employees and shareholders alike.

 

It will be remembered that during April and May, plant closures resulted in a shortage of meat and poultry with some segments of the protein industry experiencing up a 50 percent reduction in production.  Reduced throughput in plants resulted in an unprecedented accumulation of beef and hogs on the hoof necessitating euthanasia of hogs in some states and severe losses to farmers.

 

In the face of increasing incidence rates, Tyson and other packers intensified prevention modalities including on-site PCR testing, providing PPE and distancing. Tyson estimates that it has spent in excess of $350 million on COVID prevention and response including establishing clinics and hiring health professionals. Recently Tyson Foods  introduced an algorithm that tracks incidence rates in both their plants and in the communities where they operate.  An increase in rates of positivity in any of the Tyson Foods’ 240 U.S. processing facilities with 150,000 employees results in proactive prevention measures.

 

It is estimated that more than 16,000 workers in the meat packing industry contracted COVID-19 with as many as 90 fatalities.  Action taken by Tyson and other packers should hopefully  prevent a second wave of COVID.

 

The actions taken by Tyson have the support of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) that previously criticized packers for inaction in the face of escalating morbidity and mortality during the early stage of the pandemic. Cindy Benavides, CEO of LULAC noted that meat companies have since introduced strong protective measures that have reduced infection rates both in plants and communities.


 
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