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# GRAPHIC: As industry pushed fears of meat shortage, exports increased
- URL: https://www.investigatemidwest.org/graphic-as-industry-pushed-fears-of-meat-shortage-exports-increased/
- Published: 2021-04-21T15:53:56.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-23T18:10:44.000Z
- Description: Trade data shows the value of American meat exports reached its highest level since 2014.
- Author: Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest
- Tags: Agribusiness, Meat industry, Data Harvest, census, COVID-19, TP::Explainer, graphic of the week, meatpacking, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-06-18 04:56

Last year, as the meatpacking industry’s frontline workers were infected with COVID-19 and the industry [pushed](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tyson-foods-chairman-warns-food-supply-chain-breaking-n1193256?ref=investigatemidwest.org) claims of a meat shortage, companies in the U.S. exported more than $22 billion in meat products, continuing an upward trend in foreign sales since 2016.

Trade [data from the U.S. Census Bureau](https://usatrade.census.gov/?ref=investigatemidwest.org) shows that in 2020 the value of American meat exports reached its highest level since 2014\. Companies exporting meat products from the Midwest also fared well, increasing sales by about $500 million from 2019 to 2020.

In order to prevent plants from shutting down, the meatpacking industry [lobbied the federal government](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/a-week-before-trumps-order-protecting-meat-plants-industry-sent-draft-language-to-feds/) to designate meatpacking plants as essential businesses, stoking fears of leaving consumers' tables absent of beef, pork and chicken.

*\[Read more:* [*Infected. Exhausted. Distressed. A year of COVID-19 in meatpacking plants.*](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/meatpackingandcovid/)*\]*

[USA TODAY reported in June](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2020/06/16/meat-shortages-were-unlikely-despite-warnings-trump-meatpackers/3198259001/?ref=investigatemidwest.org) 2020 that, while meat production tanked from mid-March through the end of April, exports increased and the industry never had to tap into its reserves.

More than 50,000 meatpacking workers have contracted COVID-19 and nearly 250 have died, according to [Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting tracking.](https://www.investigatemidwest.org/tracking-covid-19s-impact-on-meatpacking-workers-and-industry/)