KIMT's Tyler Utzka goes 1-on-1 with VP Mike Pence

The vice president spoke with KIMT's Tyler Utzka on Friday, May 8, in Des Moines, Iowa.

At this point and from what you've learned during today's Round Table discussion should our country be concerned about our food supply in what needs to be done quickly to a short there is not ever shortage because of the hard work of farmers in Iowa and the hard work of people that work in warehouses meat processing plants in in grocery stores across this state and Nation the food supply for the American people remains strong I think it's really one of the success stories of the coronavirus epidemic is from very early on we saw our grocery store are farmers are meat processor step up an answer President Trump's call and to keep the food headed to the American table and while we've had some challenges as you know here in Iowa we've had meat processing plants that have faced a coronavirus outbreaks working with the CDC we provided protective equipment and testing it's made it possible even today for more than 14 plants including two in Iowa to reopen and to keep that food supply rolling so every American should be grateful for what everyone from literally the farm to the grocery store has done to keep the food supply of America ruling do I why do you know is one of the biggest pork producers in the country many processing plants have become hot spots for covid-19 with more testing and p p p p p e that is being provided to those workers who is that enough to prevent any future outbreaks well are we have an objective when it comes to the operator should we see in meat processing plants are first is the safety of the workers in the second is to keep the plants open President Trump signed the defense production act with the objective of finding way to safely and responsibly keep our meat processing plants rolling so that we can keep food headed to the grocery store and headed to the American table and we work with great companies like Tyson Food Smithfield and others to provide the kind of testing to provide the kind of protective equipment to provide the kind of counsel from CDC that makes it possible for those plans to open and as I said the USDA was pleased to announce that today that beat does President Trump strong action and his executive order now 14 different meat processing plants are coming back online more will be joining them soon and we'll keep the food supply strong and will keep food processing worker safe not for a question prior to when you got to this facility so earlier when you spoke with faith leaders about safely opening up places of worship what was discussed there and what plant should place of worship do to prevent any further spread of covid-19 the first it was just it was a joy for me to be back in the house of the Lord today my wife and I have been absent from our church on Sunday mornings now like every other American for the last several months and simply to be back in the church here in Iowa is a blessing to me but to have the opportunity to hear from from pastors priest and Rabbi about how their communities are thinking about responding to Governor Reynolds call to begin to safely and responsibly meet together and their congregations was also very inspiring some will be doing it sooner others will be doing it later but I was so impressed with the safe and careful way that all of those communities of Faith are thinking through the process of coming back together I also was grateful to have the opportunity just to say thanks it's been remarkable the way communities of Faith while the pews have been empty in churches and synagogues in other places of worship people have been out putting hands and feet on their face they've been there for family members for neighbors for strangers even that are struggling in the midst of the coronavirus and the impact that our communities of Faith have had in this epidemic I think we'll never fully be on this side of heaven but to be able to be there to think that those pastors and tell everyone who is prayed us through this and who has been there for neighbors and Friends how grateful we all are was a real Choi who is our vice president we are from Rochester Minnesota where you went to Mayo Clinic last week National News Real Fast any regrets with that now we're not wearing a mask and he regrets not wearing a mask you wear a mask so that you don't give it to somebody else and so I didn't think it was required but as I said Sunday I should have went to Rochester Mayo Clinic workers over