Pork producers are faced with potentially having to euthanize hogs because of the struggles keeping packing plants open. USDA late Friday announced it was getting more engaged with the situation. (DTN file photo)

Citing that livestock producers are facing an "unprecedented emergency" with meat processing, USDA on late Friday announced it is leading a federal effort to help livestock producers, especially to ensure operations remain open or return to production quickly.

In a 254-word statement sent out about 9:30 Eastern on Friday evening, USDA stated it was getting more engaged in the packing plant crisis that has shredded as much as 25% of meat processing capacity over the past three weeks.

The United Food and Commercial Workers union, as well as House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson, D-Minn., had written Vice President Mike Pence and his task force last week as well to get the federal government more engaged in the packing plant closures.

In its announcement, USDA cited it is working with a long list of federal agencies in this response, including the vice president's coronavirus task force, the Centers for Disease Control, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration and the Department of Labor, as well as industry.

That should raise a lot of questions regarding exactly why these federal agencies were not that aggressively engaged in protecting the food-supply chain and ensuring packing plants had protective measures in place for essential workers.