Last week another USDA food safety inspector died as a result of COVID-19. Time reported the unidentified inspector was located in Dodge City, Kansas, and cited a brief USDA statement: “USDA can confirm the passing of an employee. The safety and well being of our employees is our top priority. We thank those working on the front lines of our food supply chain for remaining on the job and for making sure the American people have access to safe food.”

Attend the webinar, “Is Your Plant COVID-19 Safe?” | May 27,2020 at 12 pm ET According to the report, at least 30 workers at meat plants have died of coronavirus, and a fourth USDA inspector as of May 14. More 100 USDA FSIS employees were self-quarantining as a result of exposure to COVID-19 and 171 field employees were diagnosed with the virus and did not report to work.

Worker safety at meat plants has been a concern for months, and the industry has been grappling with the threat of a meat shortage. On April 28, President Trump signed an executive order to keep meat and poultry processing facilities open during the COVID-19 crisis.