Rep. Peterson working with Ag Secretary to help hog farmers struggling with plant closures

WORTHINGTON, Minn. – House Agriculture Committee Chairman Congressman Collin Peterson discusses the struggles pig farmers are going through during the pandemic

He says 160,000 hogs are being euthanized across the country every day because of plant closures.

Department of Agriculture tells Peterson it’s having trouble dealing with the backlog of hogs. That includes a shortage of trucks to bring them to plants.

Under current rules, USDA can’t pay for farmers who kill healthy pigs.

“As the chairman of the ag committee, this is not going to happen again on my watch. If we get this thing set up, we’re not going to disband it,” Peterson said.

Protestors honked outside the news conference with signs saying they’re concerned about worker safety. Peterson and the local union president reassured everyone the plant won’t reopen until it’s safe.