Welcome to Axis ProRata, where we take just 10 minutes to get you smarter on the collision

of tech, business, and politics. I'm Dan Pramak. On today's show, JZ versus artificial intelligence,

and Belgium asks its citizens for the best sort of solidarity. But first, the food supply chain in

crisis. So last night, President Trump signed an executive order requiring meat processing plants

to remain open.

He did so via the Defense Production Act, which Trump has employed sporadically throughout the

pandemic, and says he also wants to include added personal protective equipment for processing

plant workers and liability protections for employers.

Expect lawyers to battle out almost all of that.

Why it matters, though, is that America's food supply chain is breaking.

That's the line used by the CEO of Tyson Foods, the country's second largest processor

of chicken, pork, and beef.

Trump's move is an effort to duct tape it together, but comes after much of the damage

has already been done.

Around 80 meat and food processing plants throughout the country have already reported cases

of COVID-19, with at least 17 plant worker deaths, which have either shut facilities entirely

or at least shut them temporarily for deep cleaning.

And it's not the sort of industry that can have people work from home

or even reasonably employ social distancing, at least not while maintaining anything close to the same

level of production. The impact on consumers? Well, that's obvious. Less meat, particularly pork,

where current production capacity is said to be off by at least 25%. The impact on meat farmers is devastating,

as they've got all the normal expenses,

...