Late yesterday, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order invoking the Defense Production Act (DPA) to protect the meat and poultry production supply chain. In the Executive Order, entitled, 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, the President finds that the meat and poultry supply chain meets the criteria under Section 101(b) of the DPA. In doing so, the President has reinforced the importance of the meat and poultry supply chain to national security and has triggered various mechanisms that allow the federal government to prioritize production and allocate supply of meat and poultry products should it wish to do so. Moreover, the Executive Order repeatedly emphasizes the importance of meat and poultry processors being permitted to continue operations provided they are following recent interim guidance jointly issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
