Carthage Veterinary Service COVID-19 Pork Industry Update June 5, 2020

Carthage Veterinary Service is working diligently to support you and the industry through the current crisis.  This is a status update to hit industry highlights and our focus on the following 3 KEY areas:

    1. Keep packing plants running in full production
    2. If required, support depopulation and disposal
    3. Indemnity payments for loss of livestock

Keeping Plants Open

    1. Packing plant capacity continues to increase with regional Illinois plants at 88% of full capacity.
    2. Week 22 total head slaughtered was up again for the 3rd consecutive week and finished at 2.1M. Average carcass weight continues to hold steady around 220lbs. Click here for the complete Slaughter Data report. Week 23 data will be available online Monday, June 8.

Depopulation and Disposal

    1. Illinois Department of Agriculture is working with IL Pork, IL Farm Bureau and Dr. Lowe at U of I to file permanent rules for the dead animal disposal act. The emergency rules are set to expire on Oct. 4, however permanent rules would prepare us in the event of a FAD outbreak in the future. The updated rules will be filed in June and will take at least 90 days to receive approval.

Indemnity

    1. No updates

 Updates

    1. IPPA is working with U of I to conduct environmental research at several packing plants in IL to determine if there are any COVID-19 “hot spots” in the plant. Initial findings at the Rantoul plant is that there were no virus found inside the plant. This helps to further support the safety of packing plants for employees worried about coming back to work.
    2. IDOT Extends the Overweight Movement of Loads Waiver
      • Through June 28, 2020.
      • Will allow overweight and over dimension loads as long as they comply with restrictions listed.
      • This order does not apply to posted bridges, and local highways with special and seasonal weight postings. Haulers must verify their route using www.gettingaroundillinois.com to ensure their route is free of size and weight restrictions.
      • A waiver issued under this order does not authorize the operation of any vehicle combination at a maximum gross weight in excess of 90,000 pounds on 5 axles, or an additional 12% above legal loads on fewer axles.