Agriculture

USDA secretary says despite plant closures, he does not anticipate food shortages
Sonny Perdue says he expects "85-90 percent production in probably a very few days or weeks." He also says the government is stepping up efforts to buy food from farmers and distribute it to families.
Processing plant closures put spotlight on ag supply chain
The JBS pork processing plant in Worthington partially re-opened Wednesday, after closing two weeks ago to stem a COVID-19 outbreak among workers. Its closure, coupled with that of another massive pork plant in nearby Sioux Falls, has caused major disruptions in the pork industry.
Intelligence Squared debate: Don't eat anything with a face
Under "stay-at-home" requirements, people are buying more groceries for cooking their meals at home and many of us are thinking more often about what we like to eat. The Intelligence Squared series hosted a debate about one thing many people like to eat — meat.
Meatpackers cautiously reopen plants amid coronavirus fears
A South Dakota pork processing plant took its first steps toward reopening after a virus outbreak among workers that was one of the worst in the nation. Smithfield Foods shuttered its Sioux Falls plant for over two weeks because of a coronavirus outbreak that infected over 800 employees.
As pandemic closes doors, Minnesota creamery charts path to open new ones
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt various supply chains in Minnesota, some farmers and small business owners are getting creative and adapting to the changing conditions. In some cases, a major pivot has opened new doors in getting products to the masses.
Bacterium with no known cure is killing millions of olive trees in southern Europe
The tree killer is a bacterium called xylella fastidiosa. It has killed millions of olive trees in Italy and is now threatening Spain and Greece. These countries produce 95 percent of Europe's olive oil.