Although most packing plants have implemented safety precautions and measures to prevent against the spread of coronavirus, handfuls of employees continue to get sick. This has resulted in either the reduction of plant production, or complete temporary closures.
Affected beef plants
As of April 16, six beef plants had closed or reduced production.
JBS in Souderton, PA, announced March 31 the plant would be reducing production due to senior management team members displaying flu-like symptoms. The plant was expected to return to normal production (2,500 head per day) April 16.
Another JBS operation in Greeley, CO, closed completely until April 24 for deep cleaning after dozens of employees tested positive for the coronavirus. The facility processes about 5,400 head of cattle per day.
Cargill’s plant in Hazelton, PA, suspended operations on April 7 and did not set a reopening date. The plant only processes beef products and does not slaughter any cattle.
National in Tama, IA, was initially shut down for cleaning until April 15, but announced operations will continue to be shut down until April 20. The plant is capable of processing 1,100 head per day.
An additional National plant in Dodge City, KS, planned to close from April 16 to April 18 after an employee tested positive for the virus. The plant has a processing capability of 12,000 head between its Dodge City and Liberal facilities.
The Aurora Packing Company of Aurora, IL, closed its plant due to the pandemic, but the company did not offer additional details.
Additional beef plants were under watch, but had not yet closed or reduced production. The plants included JBS in Grand Island, NE; Tyson in Wallula, WA; Cargill in Fort Morgan, CO; and WR Reserve in Lincoln, NE (a processing plant).
Affected pork plants
Top pork producer Smithfield Foods shut down three of its pork plants in a short stretch of time. After a large outbreak in the company’s Sioux Falls, SD, facility, the plant was closed with an unknown reopening date. The plant is capable of processing nearly 20,000 hogs per day.
Three days after the South Dakota plant closure, the company announced it would be shutting down its processing facilities in Cudahy, WI, and Martin City, MO. The Missouri facility plans to open in late April, but the Wisconsin plant’s reopening has yet to be determined.
“The closure of our Martin City plant is part of the domino effect underway in our industry,” Smithfield CEO Kenneth M. Sullivan said in a statement. “It highlights the interdependence and interconnectivity of our food supply chain.”
Additional plants that suspended their operations included Tyson in Columbus Junction, IA, and Fresh Mark in Salem, OH. The plants planned to be closed through April 18.
Rural healthcare needed
Three agriculture groups—National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, American Sheep Industry Association, and the Public Lands Council (PLC)—called on the USDA and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to request resources and funding for rural healthcare providers.
“Much of rural America operates with limited numbers of healthcare providers,” said PLC Executive Director Kaitlynn Glover. “If doctors, nurses, or administrators serving rural areas become exposed to COVID-19, it could result in loss of access to care for large regions. It is essential these hospitals have resources to protect their employees and the rural communities at the frontlines of this crisis.” — Anna Miller, WLJ editor
