Georgia’s Poultry Industry In The Coronavirus Era

Georgia is the nation’s number one poultry state, producing more than 31 million pounds of chicken and seven million table eggs every day, according to the Georgia Poultry Federation. And that production has not abated during the crisis, said Mike Giles, the federation’s president.

Poultry plants, which can employ thousands of workers, have been dubbed essential services and are continuing work during the pandemic. Companies have instead implemented new safety protocols to protect workers from the risks of the coronavirus in crowded conditions.

But the virus has made its mark. A 2,000-person Tyson Foods plant in Camilla, Georgia, has reported four employee deaths.