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Several more plants reported their first, or additional, employees testing positive for COVID-19. Alma Foods LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hormel, has closed its plant in Alma, Kans., until May 4 because one employee tested positive and additional employees had had contact with at individual outside of work. The company, which makes fully cooked meals and entrees, and the Saucy Blues barbeque line for foodservice. The plant employs about 100.

Lincoln Premium Poultry in Nebraska operates Costco Wholesale Corp.’s Fremont, Neb., chicken plant, acknowledged its second and third COVID-19 positives among the facility’s workforce. The plant continues to operate. JBS pork plant in Worthington, Minn., reported 19 cases of COVID-19. The plant employs about 2,000 and continues to operate. Smithfield’s Tar Heel, N.C., pork plant, the world’s largest, and the Tyson Fresh Meats’ Perry, Iowa and Dakota City, Neb., plants also reported cases of CONVID-19.  @ https://www.meatingplace.com/Industry/News/Details/91593

According to the Metro Public Health Department for Nashville and Davidson County, about 90 workers at the Tyson Foods plant in Goodlettsville TN have tested positive for the coronavirus. The Tyson’s statement includes measures being taken for COVID-19 that include: Restricting visitor access to the facility; employees walk-through temperature scanners; acquiring personal protective equipment, face coverings for production workers and implementing interim protocols for homemade protective coverings; Increase distance between workers, install workstation dividers and barriers in break rooms and allow for more time between shifts to reduce worker interaction. Tents to break outside are also being erected. The company plans to sanitize the plant daily to ensure food safety.  @ https://amp.tennessean.com/amp/5159479002

An employee at the Smithfield Foods pork processing plant in Tar Heel, North Carolina, tested positive for the coronavirus, days after the company closed several plants because of outbreaks among workers.  Health authorities are making sure that the virus does not spread in the plant. The county is confirming there are positive cases, and the company is not. Smithfield said that it closed two other plants in Cudahy, Missouri, and Martin City, Wisconsin that rely on the Sioux Falls processing plant. The Cudahy dry sausage and bacon plant will be closed for two weeks, while the Martin City plant will be closed indefinitely. The Martin City plant receives its raw materials from the company’s Sioux Falls SD, processing plant, which Smithfield Foods closed indefinitely.  Without the materials from the Sioux Falls plant, the Martin City plant cannot continue to function, the statement said. Kenneth Sullivan, president and CEO of Smithfield Foods said in a statement that the closure of the plants represents a “domino effect. The closure of our Martin City plant is part of the domino effect.  It highlights the interdependence and interconnectivity of our food supply chain. Without plants like Sioux Falls running, other further processing facilities like Martin City cannot function.” Meat shortage is expected from these closures. @ https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2020-04-16/meat-processor-smithfield-foods-closes-two-more-plants-following-coronavirus-concerns

According to Food Safety News, the Canadian government announced that $20 million additional funds would go to inspectors during the Coronavirus pandemic. The money, going to the CFIA, is to be used for hiring and training, as well as equipping staff so food inspections. The plan also includes training of provincial food inspectors. In the US, inspections have been scaled down to reduce the danger of infection to inspectors and workers. Only inspection related to foodborne illness outbreaks or Class I recalls would continue as usual. There has not been any association between food or food packaging and the transmission of COVID-19. However, the World Health Organization, the CDC, and many health agencies around the world advise precautionary measures for food handling and preparation. The close proximity on assembly lines in food plants from fresh produce to processed meats provides easy transmission of the virus between workers. @ https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2020/04/canada-differs-from-u-s-on-inspection-approach-during-coronavirus-pandemic/