Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Monday that she will mobilize as many as 1,000 Iowa National Guard troops to help fight COVID-19 outbreaks at the state’s meat packing companies.The Iowa Department of Public Health reported an additional four COVID-19 deaths and 257 new cases in the state.The Prestage Foods plant in Eagle Grove confirmed 16 COVID-19 cases on Monday, joining a growing list of packing plants with virus outbreaks.Reynolds said Iowa National Guard troops will help deliver testing equipment to packing plants, transport kits to labs and possibly help packing plants with cleaning.According to the governor, the closure of packing plants cannot happen despite calls to do so.“It's important, because this isn't like a regular facility where you shut it down for two weeks,” Reynolds said. “We are the largest hog producer in the country. We provide a third of the nation's pork supply — 25 million a year. So, if we aren't able to move them through the process at some point, we're going to have to talk about euthanizing hogs, and we are not that far from it. And it will be devastating not only for the food supply but for the cost of food going forward.”The Iowa Department of Public Health mandated that all Iowa businesses with at least 10% of their workforce absent must notify the state so they can begin surveillance testing and contact testing to bring the COVID-19 outbreak under control. KCCI asked Reynolds and Tyson foods to release the number of COVID-19 cases in each Iowa packing plant. So far, the numbers are unavailable.RAW: Gov. Kim Reynolds gives COVID-19 news conference

Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Monday that she will mobilize as many as 1,000 Iowa National Guard troops to help fight COVID-19 outbreaks at the state’s meat packing companies.

The Iowa Department of Public Health reported an additional four COVID-19 deaths and 257 new cases in the state.


The Prestage Foods plant in Eagle Grove confirmed 16 COVID-19 cases on Monday, joining a growing list of packing plants with virus outbreaks.

Reynolds said Iowa National Guard troops will help deliver testing equipment to packing plants, transport kits to labs and possibly help packing plants with cleaning.

According to the governor, the closure of packing plants cannot happen despite calls to do so.

“It's important, because this isn't like a regular facility where you shut it down for two weeks,” Reynolds said. “We are the largest hog producer in the country. We provide a third of the nation's pork supply — 25 million a year. So, if we aren't able to move them through the process at some point, we're going to have to talk about euthanizing hogs, and we are not that far from it. And it will be devastating not only for the food supply but for the cost of food going forward.”

The Iowa Department of Public Health mandated that all Iowa businesses with at least 10% of their workforce absent must notify the state so they can begin surveillance testing and contact testing to bring the COVID-19 outbreak under control.

KCCI asked Reynolds and Tyson foods to release the number of COVID-19 cases in each Iowa packing plant. So far, the numbers are unavailable.

RAW: Gov. Kim Reynolds gives COVID-19 news conference