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  Mid-year statistics suggested a correlation between the presence of a meat packing plant in a county and the level of community infection. Analysis of available data confirmed the role of meat plants in elevating community prevalence. Following research by epidemiologists at Columbia University* it was demonstrated that the presence of a slaughtering plant in a county contributes to four to six additional COVID-19 cases per 1,000 population. This represents a 50 to 75 percent increase from the baseline. Concurrently, mortality rates are elevated by close to 0.1 death per 1,000 people or a 37 to 50 percent increase over the baseline. Taking into account the total U.S. population, it is calculated that packing plants contributed to an additional 240,000 to 310,000 additional cases and 4,300 to 5,200 additional deaths among people not working in livestock processing plants in specific counties.
 Conversely when plants were closed as a result of high levels of COVID infection, the incidence of the infection in the community declined. The report noted the deficiencies in accounting for all cases given the decentralized and sporadic nature of contact tracing and availability of testing, especially among counties with inadequate public health resources. Consistent with press reports, there were obvious incentives for both local and state authorities and individual companies to suppress case reporting.
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