Meat and poultry plants should implement social distancing and “consider the appropriate role for testing and workplace contact tracing” in helping to control COVID-19 at their facilities, according to new guidance issued by federal agencies.

The novel coronavirus is living up to its name, ushering in a new way of life for America’s food companies, most notably the meat industry.

Meat and poultry processors struggle to keep employees safe during the COVID-19 pandemic and worry about a possible shortage of federal meat inspectors.

USDA’s Food Safety and inspection Service failed to explain why it did not consider worker safety in a 2019 rule allowing pork slaughter facilities to increase line speeds, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.

Five federal employees, including a Food Safety and Inspection Service inspector, have sued the federal government for hazard pay for working during the coronavirus crisis.

Congressional leaders have reached agreement on a $2 trillion economic rescue package that would replenish the Agriculture Department’s Commodity Credit Corp. authority and earmark additional money for livestock and specialty crop producers as well as local agriculture.

The White House is asking Congress for $45.8 billion to cover the rising cost to the Agriculture Department and other departments and agencies of responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Humane Society of the U.S. and other groups are suing USDA over its 2018 rule allowing chicken processing plants to increase their line speeds to a rate of 175 birds per minute.

The Agriculture Department is clarifying labeling requirements for meat and poultry products, including for claims that animals are “grass-fed” or treated without antibiotics or hormones.