The Synod process would

By Joe Ruff The Catholic Spirit

Ray and Bridget Pieper’s family near Lonsdale took a loss when they shipped out 40 cows for slaughter that would have continued producing milk if schools and restaurants hadn’t closed and demand dropped in mid-March because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Hog farmers Harry and Kellie Sloot near Winthrop had to act fast to find new outlets for their product when business slowed for restaurants and food service. About 4,000 head per year from Sloot Family Farms goes to a niche, high-end food company that serves those outlets; about 2,000 head goes to Tyson Foods for processing.

“The product sold to restaurants and food service went to almost zero,” Harry Sloot said. “We had to find other buyers. And now other buyers don’t need product.”

The Piepers and the Sloots are just two of thousands of farmers across Minnesota and the country hit by repercussions of the economic slowdown and in several cases shutdown of meatpacking plants because of outbreaks of COVID-19. With several meatpacking plants hit by the virus and idled, about 40% of U.S. hog slaughtering capacity has been temporarily lost.

Examples include a JBS USA pork plant in Worthington, a Smithfield Foods pork processing plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and a Tyson Foods pork plant in Waterloo, Iowa.

It’s not just pork. Three Jennie-O turkey processing plants, one in Melrose and two in Willmar, have been idled because workers tested positive for COVID-19.

As demand dropped for dairy products in restaurants, schools and other outlets, milk producers in Wisconsin dumped product that had no place to go.

The impact reverberates to crop farmers such as Dave Neske of Buffalo, a member of St. Timothy in Maple Lake, who estimates losing $30,000 since March because corn and soybeans stored at his farm are not fetching the prices they would have under other circumstances. Even corn-based ethanol plants are being idled because of lower oil prices and reduced demand for gasoline, Neske said.

“The pandemic has totally turned upside down our food system,” said Jim Ennis, executive director of St. Paul-based Catholic Rural Life, which promotes ethical food production and rural outreach and ministry.

A longtime advocate of a diversified farm system of large, medium and small farms, Ennis said the pandemic is laying bare the vulnerabilities of relying too heavily on large plants with just-in-time production, because one broken link fouls up the closely-knit chain.

While mid-size and smaller farms use or can find niche markets or sell direct to buyers in homes, larger farms might have too much product going to too few places, he said. When plants shut down, euthanizing animals that have grown too large for processing

DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT Ray Pieper checks on a newborn calf at his farm near Lonsdale May 4. Like many other farmers, the Piepers have suffered financial losses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic that has swept across the country.

becomes the only answer.

President Donald Trump’s demand that meatpacking plants remain open as an essential service will have to be balanced against safety for the workers, Ennis said. Startups will be slow and workers will be adjusting to new protocols for social distancing and avoiding cross-contamination that could spread the virus, he said. Production also will be significantly reduced because fewer workers will be allowed into plants at any one time.

“So now, how do we redesign (these plants) to be safe?” Ennis said. “And people stay 6 feet apart? There are locker rooms and all kinds of chances for crosscontamination. They will have to do extra cleaning.”

Farmers themselves are worried about contracting COVID-19 because many don’t have ready backups to plant their crops, take care of their livestock and harvest their grain, Ennis said.

Other rural concerns include too few hospitals with too few beds and long distances for people to travel for medical care in the event of an outbreak. The health of migrant workers is a concern because they do so much during harvest and meeting other farm needs, he said.

Neske said he will go without a part-time worker this spring because of the economic strain, and he hopes he remains healthy. “My wife and I are doing it all ourselves,” he said.

Ever-present concerns don’t go away, either, Neske said. “Weather plays a big factor — and having faith and hope.”

The Piepers, members of Most Holy Trinity in Veseli and owners of Metogga Lake Dairy Farm, said they were milking about 400 cows a day, but with the slowdown, the dairy plants they use don’t need as much of the product. The Piepers haven’t had to dump milk, but they not only had to cull their herd as they adjusted to lower demand for milk, they had to do it at a time prices for slaughter animals were down, Bridget Pieper said.

NATIONAL NOVENA FOR FARMERS

Seeking God’s intervention in the midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Catholic Rural Life of St. Paul will hold a national, livestreamed novena beginning May 7 and ending May 15, the feast day of St. Isidore, patron saint of farmers and of the nonprofit outreach ministry.

“We really do believe we need God’s intervention in this as well,” said Jim Ennis, executive director. “We recognize this (pandemic) is causing a lot havoc in a lot of families.”

Special prayers will be said for those ill and dying from COVID-19, Ennis said.

Each day, one of four bishops on Catholic Rural Life’s board of directors will lead morning prayers. It will culminate May 15 with a livestreamed 10:15 a.m. Mass celebrating St. Isidore’s feast day, as well as the concluding novena prayers, with Bishop Brendan Cahill of the Diocese of Victoria, Texas.

More about the novena can be found at catholicuralife.org. It will be livestreamed at facebook.com/catholicrurallife.

On their hog farm, the Sloots, members of St. Francis de Sales in Winthrop in the Diocese of New Ulm, found several smaller production facilities within about a 300-mile radius of their farm. “We were fortunate enough to find some processing, but we did a lot of legwork,” Harry Sloot said. And they recognize that not every producer has that option.

“Some producers have no option because of the size of their operations,” Harry Sloot said. “Right now, the normal process has been reduced by 50% because of plant closures. And they have livestock with nowhere to go.”

The Piepers, Sloots, Neske and Ennis said they are relying on prayer and hard work to get through this unprecedented time. But it’s been difficult because so much of what they are accustomed to has been upended.

“It’s something that’s heart wrenching,” Harry Sloot said. “You put your heart and your soul into your work. All of your sweat equity goes into it. It’s not the kind of work where you leave, and ‘it’s not my problem.’ It’s like your new car, you don’t even want a scratch on it.”

All decisions on the Sloot farm are made in an ethical manner, and that won’t change, he said.

“I can’t say it’s brought me to where I question my faith,” he said. “I’ve dealt with death, stress in farming and in my personal life. Faith is something that keeps me grounded. It’s an anchor in dealing with this. If anything, it makes me more mindful and more diligent, more deliberate.”

“We’re thankful that we have our faith,” Kellie Sloot said. “It’s always gotten us through.”

MASS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

the distribution of Communion so that parishes can prepare. Phase two does not include “social gatherings and other small group meetings,” he said, but some other sacramental celebrations may occur, following the same rules as public Masses.

“If a liturgical celebration or event cannot maintain the capacity and other social distancing requirements, it may not take place during” phase two, he said.

It is unknown when Minnesota’s Catholics will be able to begin phase three, “which would provide more opportunity for us to have larger celebrations,” he said. “We will continue to evaluate and follow the guidance of civil authorities and public health experts.”

All phases require “strict guidelines for social distancing and sanitation,” Archbishop Hebda said.

According to the bishops’ plan, people over 65 are “strongly encouraged” not to attend Mass, and anyone who is sick or with a sick household member should not attend. Churches must be thoroughly sanitized before and after each service. Hymnals must be removed and holy water fonts must be empty. Signs must be posted to remind attendees about social distancing and sanitation requirements, as well as how to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Hand sanitizer must be available in church entries. People must follow local safety orders regarding face coverings, and be instructed not to touch others.

“These phases will allow for the ability to re-evaluate the process as necessary in order to ensure the health and safety of the community going forward,” Archbishop Hebda said.

Walz’s stay-at-home order began March 28 and was initially scheduled to last until April 13. He has since extended the order twice.

Archbishop Hebda suspended Catholics’ obligation to attend Sunday Mass and holy days of obligation beginning the weekend of March 14- 15. On March 18, he announced the suspension of all public Masses in the archdiocese to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Archbishop Hebda ended the May 1 letter with an appeal to Mary under her title “Consoler of the Afflicted.”

“Please continue to pray for our brothers and sisters who have died from COVID-19, for those who mourn them, for those who are sick from this disease and for the people who are caring for them, often at great risk to themselves and their families,” he said. “Know of my prayers for them and for you and your loved ones.”

Minnesota health officials reported 594 new cases of COVID-19 in the state May 1, with 28 more deaths — the highest number of deaths reported on a single day in the state, tying with April 26. As of press time May 5, the state had reported a total of 7,851 cases of COVID-19 and 455 deaths, with 80% of deaths among nursing home residents.