Smithfield Foods closes more plants due to COVID-19 Concerns

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

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