Court orders Mo. meatpacking plant to better protect workers from coronavirus; more lawsuits could be coming

A federal judge has ordered Smithfield Foods "to comply with public-health guidelines at a meatpacking plant in Milan, Mo., after a whistleblower argued that workers are not being protected from the coronavirus," Liz Crampton reports for Politico. "The lawsuit, filed by a local nonprofit advocating for worker rights and an anonymous longtime plant employee, is the first of its kind seeking to use the courts to force companies to abide by federal guidelines to protect workers operating in dangerous conditions."

The lawsuit, filed by Public Justice, accuses Smithfield of not sufficiently protecting workers from coronavirus transmission by not providing personal protective equipment, allowing for social distancing, and discouraging workers from taking sick days, Crampton reports. The group said it will sue other meatpackers on the same grounds, Ryan McCrimmon reports for Politico's "Morning Agriculture" newsletter.

Many meatpacking plants have been forced to shutter in recent weeks after employees tested positive for covid-19, prompting fears of meat shortages for consumers and causing headaches for farmers who have nowhere to sell their livestock.