The coronavirus is having an impact on farmers and our food supply in more ways than one.
With not enough people to process the chicken because of COVID-19 restrictions, poultry farmers are being forced to euthanize their stock.
About 2 million chickens in Delaware and Maryland are being humanely killed because chicken processing plants are short-staffed.
The manpower shortage at chicken processing plants is because of community cases of COVID-19 and social distancing.
Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc. says it investigated several options, and could not find a better solution.
In a statement obtained by CNN, the Maryland Department of Agriculture says it learned of the company's plans on April 9 and "continues to monitor for any developments."
The department went on to say that it will not be involved in the "depopulation," because it's not in response to animal health concerns.
CNN also reached out to the Delaware Department of Agriculture but had not yet received a response as of Monday morning.
