Two U.S. Senate Democrats are pressing meatpackers to disclose by month’s end how much pork, beef and chicken they have shipped to China during the coronavirus outbreak while warning of possible meat shortages at home.

As stress mounts across farm country, Farm Credit, American Farm Bureau and National Farmers Union launched a free online course to help producers learn the signs of stress and tools to manage it.

Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue said in a statement issued June 9 that meatpacking plants across America are “operating at more than 95% of their average capacity.”

Leading academics from four continents joined U.S., Canadian and international organizations representing farmers to sign an open letter that set the record straight.

Wholesale price declines suggest most packing plants have nearly recovered from the COVID-19 virus shock of a few weeks ago though the backlog of cattle and hogs will persist for a while longer.

Purchase limits remained in effect at most retail meat departments leading up to Memorial Day, but dollar sales were up 20.7% and volume increased 5.1%, suggesting demand remains strong.