Smithfield Shuts Down South Dakota Pork Plant Indefinitely

(RTTNews) - American food company Smithfield Foods said it is closing down its pork processing plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota until further notice after hundreds of employees tested positive for COVID-19.

"... Numerous plants across the country have COVID-19 positive employees. We have continued to run our facilities for one reason: to sustain our nation's food supply during this pandemic," said Kenneth Sullivan, President and Chief Executive Officer.

As per reports, South Dakota Governor said on Saturday that 238 Smithfield employees had been diagnosed with the COVID-19, accounting for more than half of the active coronavirus cases in the state.

There is no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with the transmission of COVID-19, Smithfield said citing an information from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.

According to the company, the plant, which employs 3,700 people, is one of the largest pork processing facilities in the U.S., representing four to five percent of U.S. pork production.

Smithfield said some activity will occur at the plant on Tuesday to process product in inventory, as it prepares to fully shut down. It will compensate its employees for the next two weeks.