This week, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem issued an executive order that removes overstocking restrictions on pork producers. That’s needed because of the shutdown of processing plants to where they can take their animals for slaughter and to give them temporary flexibility with state and county regulations. South Dakota Pork Producer’s Council’s Executive Director Glenn Muller says the order will help in the short term.

He says the order gives pork producers some breathing room in dealing with the backup of hogs caused by the COVID 19 pandemic.

Muller says the major concern now is getting the processing plants back up and operating so the food supply chain isn’t disrupted and causes even more problems.

Muller says some producers may be faced with having to dispose of their animals due to nowhere to take them for processing. He says the welfare and care of those animals is paramount as well as maintaining a secure food supply.