JBS closes Worthington (mn) pork plant indefinitely
https://www.kstp.com/news/jbs-closes-worthington-pork-plant-indefinitely/5705865/?cat=1
“ JBS USA on Monday announced it has closed its pork production facility in Worthington indefinitely amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We don't make this decision lightly," said Bob Krebs, President of JBS USA Pork. "We recognize JBS Worthington is critical to local hog producers, the U.S. food supply and the many businesses that support the facility each and every day."
JBS said the plant will wind down operations over the next two days with a diminished staff to ensure the existing product in the facility can be used to support the food supply. The company is then advising its employees to comply with the state's 'stay at home' order, but employees will be paid during the closure.
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The company has also taken other safety measures, such as temperature testing employees prior to them entering facilities, providing extra protective equipment, promoting social distancing by staggering shifts and breaks, and increasing sanitation efforts.
On Friday, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union Local 633 said at least 19 employees at the plant had tested positive for COVID-19.
That rise in cases came a week after a Smithfield Pork Processing plant in nearby Sioux Falls, S.D. suddenly shut down because of an outbreak that turned it into one of largest coronavirus hotspots in the country.
JBS operates more than 60 meat, poultry and prepared food facilities in the U.S. The Worthington facility is now the third of their plants to close temporarily during the pandemic.
"As we all learn more about coronavirus, it is clear that the disease is far more widespread across the U.S. and in our county than official estimates indicate based on limited testing," Krebs said. "We have taken aggressive actions to keep coronavirus out of our plant and keep this critical infrastructure facility operational. It is our hope that Governor Walz's effort to implement more widespread community testing will help all of us better understand the measures we must all take to stop its potential spread. We must work together to defeat this common enemy."