GAINESVILLE, Ga. — U.S. Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) on May 8 visited Fieldale Farms Further Processing plant in Gainesville, Ga., to observe the extra safety precautions the company is taking in light of COVID-19, including elevated levels of sanitary operation and added measures of separation throughout the facility.
During his visit, Collins spoke with John Wright, vice president of operations for Fieldale Farms, and Mike Giles, president of the Georgia Poultry Federation, to discuss the challenges facing the poultry industry in the midst of COVID-19.
“I’m impressed by Fieldale Farms’ ability to quickly implement new policies to safeguard the health and safety of their workers, protect the livelihoods of our farmers, and keep our food supply chain strong,” Collins said. “Now more than ever, it’s critical we protect all aspects of our food supply chain to ensure we can safely continue putting food on Americans’ tables. By distributing N95 masks, installing dividers, conducting regular temperature checks, and relying on interpreters to ensure those who speak Spanish have access to the safety information they need in a way they understand it best, Fieldale is working hard to protect their workers. As I told them today, Congress remains committed to working with our poultry industry to guarantee Americans have access to the food they need while ensuring workers remain safe and healthy.”
“Our focus before, during and after this pandemic has been employee and food safety; we are blessed with a phenomenal group of leaders who recognizes the importance of taking care of our team members and their families while continuing to provide the highest quality poultry products every day,” Wright said.
“We are proud of the role that the employees working in the poultry industry play as part of the nation’s critical infrastructure which is providing a secure food supply for the United States during these challenging times,” Giles said. “The poultry industry takes this responsibility seriously. Poultry processors and egg producers will continue to do all that they can to produce the food that is vital during this recovery period, while implementing science-based measures to protect employees working in our facilities.”
