The Senate voted 90-10 to include an amendment in the American Rescue Plan to provide the restaurant segment of the food industry with assistance.  The amendment is based on the Restaurants Act proposed in April 2020 that would have directed $120 billion to support including wages and overheads.

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Speaker Nancy Pelosi have proposed extending $125 billion in recovery funding.  The move was received with gratitude by the National Restaurant Association.  The organization noted that a large number of restaurants that closed following the emergence of COVID-19 had been in business for at least sixteen years.  It is expected that many of these restaurants will not reopen.

Reestablishing operations in both the restaurant industry and institutions including schools and universities will be critical to supporting food service.  This segment is an important user of both shell eggs and egg liquid. Reestablishing the chain extending from production through demand will be necessary to stabilize egg sales and to move eggs that were diverted from breaking back in the egg-liquid channel.