Slaughterhouse workers have been disproportionally affected by the virus (Photo: Adobe. Do not use without permission)
A number of prolific activists are speaking at an online press conference today calling for a meat boycott.
They are supporting a new campaign called #BOYCOTTMEAT, launched by a coalition assembled by The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) of Iowa which says it is ‘committed to fighting for the safety of slaughterhouse workers’ and asserts that ‘meat is not essential’.
Event speakers include Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. Milton Mills, and author and Main Street Vegan founder Victoria Moran among others.
#BOYCOTTMEAT
Together, the coalition – which includes workers, activists, non-profit leaders, physicians and academics from across the country – will ‘dispute the mandate of President Trump’s Defense Production Act and make clear that meat is not, in fact, essential’.
The campaign follows Donald Trump issuing an executive order earlier this year, forcing slaughterhouses to remain open – despite them being branded ‘COVID-19 hotspots’.
As #BOYCOTTMEAT notes: “To date, there have been over 25,000 reported positive COVID-19 cases tied to meatpacking facilities in at least 238 plants in 33 states. Worse, there are nearly 100 reported worker deaths nationwide.”
Launch
Today’s virtual event for the media (which begins at 9:30 AM CST/ 10:30 AM EST), is described as a ‘virtual press conference’ to launch the Boycott Meat campaign to impact and address the issues of protecting slaughterhouse workers’ safety in processing facilities.
It will address the inherent and unnecessary dangers faced by slaughterhouse workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and expose how current measures of ‘worker protection’ in these plants are not effective.
The Boycott Meat campaign will be promoted through social media, community events, and direct action. Organizers ask people to follow #boycottmeat to stay informed.
