Delegating Authority Under the Defense Production Act With Respect to Food Supply Chain Resources During the National Emergency Caused by the Outbreak of COVID- 19
Executive Order 2020-09536
|Signed on April 29, 2020
45th Presidency
What it means
Delegates authority to the Secretary of Agriculture to ensure meat and poultry processors continue operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The order designates meat processing as critical infrastructure and allows the Secretary to require facilities to remain open despite state closure orders.
Expected impact
- Stabilization of the meat and poultry supply chain during the pandemic
- Protection against meat shortages in grocery stores
- Potential concerns about worker safety in processing plants with COVID-19 outbreaks
- Tensions between federal authority and state public health orders
- Possible legal challenges from labor groups advocating for worker protections