Page 15 - MWC 4-23-20s

The Midwest Cattleman · April 23, 2020 · P15
Kansas Spring Burns Continue ansas Spring Burns Continue
K
Despite State Requestate Request
Despite St

By Greg Henderson
voluntarily reduce cardiovascular issues and from April 4 to April 8. Tope-
the number of acres other health conditions. ka’s ozone level surpassed the
they plan to burn State agriculture secre- limit April 8.
this spring. Instead tary Mike Beam and KDHE Friday, April 11, increased
of a noticeable cut- secretary Lee Norman ap- grassland fires in eastern
back, however, of- pealed to property owners for Kansas prompted officials at
ficials say they are restraint amid the COVID-19 the Lincoln-Lancaster Coun-
seeing a surge of outbreak. ty, Neb., health department to
pollution. “This request should not be issue an advisory about wide-
“It really hasn’t interpreted as an indictment spread burning in the Flint
gone as well as we of the practice of burning,” Hills and northerly winds
had hoped,” Rick Beam said. “However, the cir- producing smoke concentra-
Brunetti, director cumstances surrounding the tions “unhealthy for every-
for the bureau of air coronavirus pandemic have one.”
at the Kansas De- created a situation that calls Children, older adults and
partment of Health for reducing burned acres anyone with heart or lung
and Environment, this spring.” diseases were asked to avoid
Ranchers in Kansas Flint told the Topeka Capital-Jour- Despite the request, mon- outdoor activities this past
Hills have not reduced burn- nal. “We are seeing a great itoring equipment detected weekend, said Gary Berg-
ing of grassland despite a plea deal of burning. We have not six instances in which levels strom, air quality supervisor
from state officials to do so seen the reductions in burn- of ozone or particulate mat- for the city and county agency
this spring to lower air pol- ing that we were hoping for.” ter exceeded safety bench- in Lincoln.
lution during the COVID-19 Officials say the controlled marks, The Capital-Journal More than 2 million acres
pandemic. burns have produced smoke reported. The volume of par- of grassland is burned in the
On March 26, the Kansas plumes that triggered alarms ticulate matter surpassed Flint Hills annually to reduce
Department of Health and from Wichita to Lincoln, Neb., safety margins in Wichita, invasive species and improve
Environment asked land own- because of surges in air pol- Topeka, Chanute and Kansas forage for grazing.
ers and range managers to lution harmful to people with City, Kan., at various times

JBS Falls plant. Smithfield said it
continued from page 3 was the largest donation in
all of its workers for the corona- company history.
virus but then “decided to take JBS USA closed the Gree-
more aggressive action and ley plant last weekend for deep
self-quarantine Greeley beef cleaning and sanitization. Col-
employees until plant reopen- orado Gov. Jared Polis said
ing.” the plant would be closed for
Greeley is the second of JBS two weeks. “Colorado’s beef in-
USA’s more than 60 U.S. facil- dustry is a critical part of our
ities to close temporarily. The state’s economy, which is why
first was a beef plant in Soud- we continue working closely
erton, Pennsylvania. In a state- with the Weld County public
ment, JBS USA said it has health department to ensure
“experienced increased absen- the safety of the JBS workers
teeism in a few other plants but and get the plant open as soon
continues to operate the major- as it is safe in order to protect
ity of its facilities across the the food supply,” said Polis on
country at or near capacity.” Monday.
The coronavirus pandem- Besides closing the plant,
ic has slowed production or JBS USA said it would donate
forced temporary closures at $90,000 to a Greeley facility
plants run by other proces- for patients recuperating from
sors. Among them are Smith- COVID-19, $50,000 for produc-
field Foods’ pork plant in Sioux tion of masks for local residents
Falls, South Dakota, and Car- and other coronavirus relief,
gill’s plant in Hazelton, Penn- and funds to replenish per-
sylvania. sonal protective equipment for
Smithfield announced the first responders in Greeley. The
donation of more than 10 mil- company also would pay for
lion pounds of protein worth 1,000 kits to test low-income
more than $30 million to food and uninsured local residents.
banks across the country on SF
Monday, the day after announc-
ing the shutdown of the Sioux