Have you heard or read that there may be a shortage of meat products in the United States due to Coronavirus?  Watch this news clip:

Restaurants raise prices as coronavirus forces meat shortage

And read this article:

Coronavirus: Meat shortage leaves US farmers with ‘mind-blowing’ choice

Why is there a meat shortage if farmers have plenty of animals?

What are conditions like for workers in meatpacking facilities?

Why Meatpacking Plants Have Become Covid-19 Hot Spots

What were they like in the past?

Constitutional Rights Foundation Compare and contrast the conditions in meatpacking plants now and how they were in the past.

This video describes the regulatory changes brought about by Teddy Roosevelt in response to Sinclair Lewis’s book.

“The Jungle” & The Pure Food and Drug Act – Decades TV …

What role did investigative journalism play in bringing about reform to ensure our food is safe?

What is being done by the government now?

• Trump’s order to open meat plants brings anxiety to one Iowa town where 90% of COVID-19 cases are tied to Tyson
• Meatpacking Safety Recommendations Are Largely Unenforceable

How do you think the meatpacking issue should be managed?

Some suggested actions for you to take include simply eating less meat.

15 Vegan Fast-Food Items You’ve Gotta Try Now

Or, if you prefer to eat more healthily, take a look at these suggestions:

How to use beans and tofu as meat substitutes 

* This optional article requires registering or logging in for an account with the New York Times:

Opinion | The Coronavirus and a World Without Meat 

Do you agree that eating less meat is a good idea?  Why or why not?  How might you consider changing your diet?

The first amendment of the United States Constitution reads:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

What part did this amendment play in bringing about the reforms inspired by  Upton Sinclair’s  “The Jungle”?

What role can it play today in 2020 to make sure our food is safe and that working people are protected?

To see what the news looks like in countries without a free press, take a look at China’s state-run media

China News – Headlines, Stories & Videos – Chinadaily.com.cn

What do you notice about how the news is covered that differs from our news reporting?