Another Ag Industry Hit Hard by COVID-19

Apr 16, 2020

Potatoes are a staple for many in our country but with the COVID-19 pandemic, Alberta's potato industry is being hurt.

Southern Alberta's three major potato processors, Cavendish Farms, McCain Foods, and Lamb Weston, have cut the total size of contracted acreage this spring by 20 to 25 percent. All three companies site plummeting sales, mainly in french fries, as the determining factor. The cause of this is the restrictions and closures in the restaurant industry. The non-profit industry group Potato Growers of Alberta says that the processors have either shut down or are preparing to do so as they have no room in their freezer storage. Many farmers are concerned as they have crop from 2019 yet to be sent to the processors.

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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.