"The U.S. is edging closer to possible meat shortages with another major plant taken off line.

About a quarter of American pork production and 10% of beef output has now been shuttered, according to the United Food & Commercial Workers, which estimates that 13 U.S. plants have seen closures.

On Thursday, Tyson Foods Inc. said it was shutting its beef facility in Pasco, Washington, fresh on the heels of the company idling two key pork plants. Case counts are continuing to mount, including in Canada, where industry groups are saying they’ll probably hold back some supplies usually exported to the U.S. And the head of JBS SA, the world’s top meat producer, is warning of shortfalls."

Deena Shanker, Michael Hirtzer, Jen Skerritt, and Lydia Mulvany report for Bloomberg April 22, 2020. [2]