A U.S. Department of Agriculture inspector tasked with ensuring food safety at meatpacking plants died after testing positive for COVID-19.
A U.S. Department of Agriculture inspector tasked with ensuring safe food quality at meat processing plants died Thursday after testing positive for COVID-19, a source who was on a call in which the federal agency confirmed the death told USA TODAY.t is the latest in a growing wave of coronavirus cases and deaths stemming from the meatpacking industry.
American Federation of Government Employees spokesperson Tim Kauffman confirmed to USA TODAY that the employee worked in Chicago and that his wife had also contracted the virus and was in the hospital. The safety of inspectors, and the USDA’s efforts to protect them, has recently come into question. Concerns have particularly been raised about those embedded in meatpacking facilities, where they stand in close proximity with plant workers as they examine carcasses and products to ensure food safety.
“While the department is unable to provide masks to all mission essential employees at this time, we will notify our workforce as soon as possible as additional information, guidance, or supplies become available,” the memo stated.“The inspectors have been complaining about this. There’s always been an issue,” Corbo said. “But in this case, it’s been exacerbated.”
This is despite the fact that their workload continues to increase. In fiscal year 2015, they inspected a total of 145.2 million head of livestock and 9.17 billion poultry carcasses. By fiscal year 2019, those numbers jumped to 164 million head of livestock and 9.83 billion poultry carcasses, the agency’s budget reports show.
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