Valdosta meat processor working full steam during pandemic
VALDOSTA — Amid concerns the COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting America’s meat supply chain, a Lowndes County meat processor has added staff and is “very busy” fulfilling supermarket orders, according to the owner.
Sunset Farms Foods, located on the Madison Highway, has only been indirectly impacted by the pandemic, said Tom Carroll, owner.
On Tuesday, after reports that dozens of meat processors in the Midwest were shutting down due to COVID-19 cases among workers, President Donald Trump signed an executive order forcing processors to stay open, labeling them part of America’s “essential infrastructure.”
Carroll said there have been no positive cases of COVID-19 at Sunset Farms and the company has taken steps to ensure worker safety.
Empty meat shelves have been regularly seen at grocery stores due to a mix of panic buying and tighter supplies from large processors shutting plants, particularly in the pork industry. A week ago, food giant Tyson Foods announced plans to shut down its largest pork processing plant, located in Iowa.
“Many supermarkets in the Southeast have been blown out by the pandemic,” Carroll said. “We are so busy we can’t keep up with orders.”
Sunset Farms works primarily with pork, but also produces chicken and beef products, he said.
Sunset Farms has added 20 people since the pandemic began, and the 102-year-old company now employs about 190 people, Carroll said.
He said there have been no talks about curtailing operations during the pandemic.
“If we had a bunch of people out, we wouldn’t be running at 100%,” Carroll said.
One way the COVID-19 outbreak has affected Sunset Farms is in the company’s supply chain. The firm gets much of its raw material from larger processors, and Carroll said some of those suppliers have canceled orders.
Carroll said he thinks Trump’s executive order is aimed at local governments in areas where meat processing plants were closed due to local restrictions.