Smithfield Foods to shut two extra meat processing facilities in US

US-based meat processing company Smithfield Foods has decided to close its meat processing plants in Cudahy, Wisconsin, and Martin City, Missouri, later this week.

Involved in the production of dry sausage and bacon, the Cudahy facility will be closed for two weeks.

The Martin City plant has more than 400 people and is engaged in the production of spiral and smoked hams. It receives raw material from the company’s Sioux Falls, South Dakota facility, which is shut indefinitely due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis.

The company noted that without the supply of raw materials, the facility cannot continue to run and is expected to begin operations only after Smithfield resumes production in Sioux Falls.

Smithfield president and CEO Kenneth M Sullivan said: “From farm to fork, our nation’s food workers, American family farmers and the many others in the supply chain are vital to the security of our country. This is particularly evident as we battle Covid-19 together. Please join me in thanking them.

“The closure of our Martin City plant is part of the domino effect underway in our industry. It highlights the interdependence and interconnectivity of our food supply chain. Our country is blessed with abundant livestock supplies, but our processing facilities are the bottleneck of our food chain.

“Without plants like Sioux Falls running, other further processing facilities like Martin City cannot function. This is why our government has named food and agriculture critical infrastructure sectors and called on us to maintain operations and normal work schedules.”

The company added that several employees working at the Cudahy and Martin City facilities have been tested positive for Covid-19. In addition, all affected employees will be paid for the next two weeks, during which essential personnel will carry out cleaning and sanitisation works at the facilities.