A sign on the fresh meat case notified cstomers of the 2-pound limit on ground beef last week at Rice's Quality Farm Meats Inc. in Spencer. Staff photo by Rich Janzaruj
Orange County Processing in Orleans is normally booking appointments three weeks out at this time of year. But now, they’re booked out until almost November.
“It all started back there the first of March,” owner Chris Burger said. “Whenever the stay-at-home order started.”
It’s a similar story for local meat processors across Indiana because of disruptions that have resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. The issue has even received attention from the White House.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order April 28 regarding meat processing. It was widely reported the president was forcing plants to stay open. That has been disputed.
The order itself is largely focused on giving the U.S. secretary of agriculture authority to ensure meat processors continue operating under guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
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