Tyson Foods expedites development of robotic technology in plants

US-based meat producer Tyson Foods is accelerating the move to incorporate robotic technology following a series of Covid-19 outbreaks at its meatpacking facilities.

The company intends to equip its facilities with equipment that can perform tasks such as chicken deboning.

Each week, around 39 million chickens are deboned at Tyson Food’s facilities in the US.

Since 2017, the company has invested $500m in robotic technology. Tyson Foods CEO Noel White told the Wall Street Journal that it has enhanced development in the wake of the coronavirus (Covid-19).

Engineers at Tyson’s headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, are testing and developing meat processing robots.

According to the data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a total of 16,233 Covid-19 cases have been reported in meat processing facilities across 23 US states.

The CDC report stated: “Meat and poultry processing facilities face distinctive challenges in the control of infectious diseases, including Covid-19.

“The Covid-19 outbreaks among meat and poultry processing facility workers can rapidly affect large numbers of persons.”

In addition to Tyson Foods, other companies such as JBS and Pilgrim’s Pride are also working towards the development and installation of automated robotic technology.

In May, Tyson Foods reported that 570 individuals tested positive for Covid-19 at its poultry facility in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.