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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowDespite the continuing increase in coronavirus cases, on April 28, President Trump ordered meatpacking plants to stay open. And Gov. Eric Holcomb supports this executive order. Workers are being forced to choose between their health and a paycheck they need to survive.
Our own Cass County has seen a severe outbreak due to the working conditions at the Tyson facility. This is not unique to Indiana, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t work hard to protect Hoosiers.
The Indianapolis Star recently reported that “more than 4,400 meatpacking workers around the country have tested positive for the virus, and at least 18 have died from the virus” as of April 28. When meat companies put workers at risk, they also jeopardize the health and safety of the entire surrounding community.
There’s a unique opportunity here. Over the past couple of years, companies like Tyson and Smithfield have been testing the waters and investing in innovative plant-based protein startups. Companies like Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods and Rebellyous Foods are weathering this COVID-19 storm better than the animal-based protein companies because their product is simpler and less dangerous to produce.
Instead of forcing these meat facilities to open and jeopardize workers’ health, Hoosiers can begin celebrating innovation in this sector.
The first step is to hold Tyson and other companies accountable for protecting the workers that put in the labor to feed America.
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Jessika Griffin
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