Disruptions in pork processing caused by the pandemic have resulted in 2 million hogs stuck in the supply chain, a situation leading to massive losses for hog farmers, according to an industry trade group.

The pork processing industry has been roiled by plant closures due to COVID-19 outbreaks, with Tyson Foods, Smithfield Foods and others having to shut down facilities in several locations. Although pork plant activity is now at about 95% of normal, it dropped nearly 30% during April due to interruptions caused by the pandemic.

As a result, hog farmers are looking at nearly $5 billion in losses, according to the National Pork Producers Council. These losses probably will continue into next year, the NPPC says.

“This is, by far, the worst financial disaster ever for American hog farmers, who were already in a weakened financial position due to two years of trade retaliation,” said Steve Meyer, an economist at an NPPC press conference held July 20. “Roughly two million hogs are still backed up on farms and this is likely to cause more pigs to be euthanized to prevent suffering due to overcrowding. If COVID prompts additional plant disruptions – a real possibility – the number of hogs backed-up on farms will swell precipitously.”

The NPCC is asking Congress for emergency relief for hog farmers suffering from the pandemic. Earlier this month, four Republican U.S. senators introduced legislation providing compensation for farmers who are forced to euthanize or donate animals that can’t be processed into the food supply as a result of COVID-19, among other provisions.