JBS is closing its pork processing plant in Worthington, a hot-spot of COVID-19.
The company announced Monday that it will wind down operations of the plant over the next two days.
Officials say the closure is indefinate after health officials reported at least 20 plant workers had tested positive for coronavirus.
Another five family members of JBS workers have also come down with COVID-19, officials say.
“We don’t make this decision lightly,” said Bob Krebs, President of JBS USA Pork, in a statement released Monday. “We recognize JBS Worthington is critical to local hog producers, the US food supply and the many businesses that support the facility each and every day.”
The plant employs more than 2,000 workers, and processes 20,000 hogs per day, according to the company.
This, combined with other processing plant closures in neighboring states, is already having an impact on the food supply.
Nobles County, where Worthington is located, has 76 confirmed coronavirus cases, the state health department reported on Monday.
Last week, Governor Walz and other state officials said health care teams would be sent to Worthington to increase testing in hopes of keeping the plant open.
JBS USA has implemented several preventive measures, including:
- Temperature testing all team members prior to entering facilities, including the use of hands-free thermometers and thermal imaging testing technology in all locations;
- Providing extra personal protective equipment (PPE), including protective masks, which are required to be worn at all times, to all team members;
- Promoting physical distancing by staggering starts, shifts and breaks, and increasing spacing in cafeterias, break and locker rooms, including plexiglass dividers in key areas;
- Increasing sanitation and disinfection efforts, including whole facility deep-cleaning every day;
- Hiring dedicated staff whose only job is to continuously clean facilities, including common areas beyond the production floor;
- Removing vulnerable populations from facilities, offering full pay and benefits;
- Requiring sick team members to stay home from work;
- Waiving short-term disability waiting periods;
- Relaxing attendance policies so people don’t come to work sick;
- Providing free 100% preventative care to all team members enrolled in the company’s health plan;
- Offering free LiveHealth Online services for team members enrolled in the company’s health plan that allow for virtual doctor visits at no cost;
- Educating and encouraging team members to practice social distancing at home and in the community outside of work; and
- Restricting access to facilities and not allowing visitors.
Officials with JBS, which operates more than sixty plants in the nation, say the Worthington pork production facility is their third plant to temporarily close.
The Souderton, Pa.., beef production facility, had been shut down but reopened on Monday, April 20.
The company's beef production facility i Greely, Col. remains closed.
