A Smithfield Foods plant in Sioux Falls, S.D., that produces 4% to 5% of the nation’s pork supply has become the latest meat processing facility to shut down as COVID-19 sickens plant workers.
One of the country’s largest pork-producing plants closed indefinitely after nearly 300 of its employees tested positive for COVID-19. And the company’s CEO warned that the coronavirus pandemic is pushing the nation’s meat supply “perilously close” to the edge.
“It is impossible to keep our grocery stores stocked if our plants are not running,” Smithfield Foods CEO Kenneth Sullivan said in a statement.
Smithfield decided to close its plant in Sioux Falls, S.D., which provides 4% to 5% of the pork produced in the United States. The move came after South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem urged the company to “do more” to address the pandemic.
“The closure of this facility, combined with a growing list of other protein plants that have shuttered across our industry, is pushing our country perilously close to the edge in terms of our meat supply,” Sullivan said.
Smithfield is one of several meat-producing companies that have suspended or cut back on production in recent weeks.
JBS USA has closed a Souderton, Pa., beef plant until at least Thursday and has reduced production at a second facility in Greeley, Colo., because of high absenteeism among employees.
To read the entire article from NPR, click https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/13/833110486/u-s-meat-supply-is-perilously-close-to-a-shortage-ceo-warns?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=nprblogscoronavirusliveupdates
