We’ll learn more details next week about the impact of the coronavirus on local slaughter facilities in Missouri.
The Joint Committee on Agriculture plans a Thursday morning hearing at the Statehouse in Jefferson City. The committee will meet at 9 a.m.
The committee’s co-chairs are State Rep. Mike Haffner, R-Pleasant Hill, and State Sen. Justin Brown, R-Rolla.
Haffner’s office tells Missourinet that the joint committee will hear a general overview about how production lines at slaughter facilities are influenced by COVID-19, and the responses to it. Haffner’s office says State Reps. Dan Shaul, R-Imperial, and Don Rone, R-Portageville, will present the update.
Shaul and Rone plan to discuss the current economic issues that local slaughter facilities are having due to COVID-19 and how that financially impacts Missouri’s cattle industry, according to Haffner’s office.
Shaul also heads the Missouri Grocers Association.
The $35.2 billion operating budget approved by state lawmakers this month contains $20 million for Missouri meat processing facilities, impacted by COVID-19. House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, says it’s for plants with less than 200 employees, for support, workforce assistance, equipment and capital improvements.
The Joint Committee on Agriculture will also hear testimony on Thursday from Missouri commodity groups and agricultural organizations about their economic impact, specifically their contribution to state and local tax revenues.
The Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) plans to present on Thursday, along with B.J. Tanksley of the Missouri Farm Bureau and Casey Wasser of the Missouri Soybean Association. Dr. Scott Brown of the University of Missouri and Tony Clayton of Clayton Agri-Marketing are also scheduled to present, along with the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
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