NPPC Supports Livestock Provisions Of Heroes Act

May 15, 2020

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) expressed strong support for livestock agriculture provisions in the Heroes Act introduced today by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations. These provisions include funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide:

Compensation for euthanized livestock that can’t be processed into the food supply due to COVID-related packing plant capacity reductions. This fact sheet provides an overview of the current challenge faced by U.S. pork producers.
Expanded direct payments to livestock farmers who have suffered severe losses as COVID-related market disruptions have caused the value of their livestock to plummet. In USDA implementation of this program, NPPC continues to seek the removal of payment caps to ensure much-needed aid is extended to those farmers who need it most.
Increased funding for animal health surveillance and laboratories, which have been tapped to perform COVID-19 testing during this human health emergency.

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Video: What Does 20 MILLION Hogs a Year Look Like?

?? The Multi-Plant System Processing 20 Million Hogs Annually in the Midwest JBS USA operates multiple large-scale pork processing facilities across the Midwest, including major plants in Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana. Combined, these facilities have the capacity to process approximately 20 million hogs annually.

Each plant operates high-speed automated slaughter systems capable of processing up to 20,000 head per day, followed by fabrication lines that break carcasses into primals, sub-primals, and case-ready retail products.

Hog procurement is coordinated through electronic marketing platforms that connect regional contract finishing operations and independent producers to plant demand schedules. This digital procurement system allows for steady supply flow and scheduling efficiency across multiple facilities.

Processing plants incorporate comprehensive food safety systems, including pathogen intervention technologies, rapid chilling processes, and integrated cold-chain management. USDA inspection is embedded throughout the harvest and fabrication stages to ensure regulatory compliance and product integrity. Finished pork products — from bulk primals to retail-ready packaged cuts — are distributed through coordinated logistics networks serving domestic and export markets.