Smithfield to shut, sanitize pork plant in SD

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — The Smithfield pork processing plant in South Dakota will close temporarily for cleaning after more than 80 employees were confirmed to have the coronavirus, the company announced Thursday.

Smithfield Foods plans to suspend operations in a large section of the Sioux Falls plant Saturday, then completely close Sunday and Monday. The company plans to sanitize the plant and install physical barriers to “enhance social distancing.”

South Dakota health officials announced Wednesday that more than 80 employees of the plant had tested positive for COVID-19, while the union representing workers said over 120 have confirmed infections.

The plant, which employees about 3,700 people, has emerged as a hot spot of infections, accounting for at least 1 in 5 confirmed cases in South Dakota.

Smithfield CEO Kenneth Sullivan said in a statement that the plant dishes out nearly 18 million servings of meat per day.

There has been no evidence that the coronavirus is being transmitted through food or its packaging, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Sullivan said the company is taking “the utmost precautions and actions to ensure the health and well being of our employees — with an even increased emphasis on our critical role in the ongoing supply of food to American families.”

Smithfield said it would pay employees who were scheduled to work those days.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has been in communication with the company and appreciated its “decisive action,” according to spokeswoman Maggie Seidel.

Other meat processing plants have also closed temporarily because of outbreaks of the coronavirus. Tyson Foods suspended operations at its pork processing plant in Columbus Junction, Iowa, this week after more than two dozen employees tested positive for COVID-19.

Tyson, Cargill and other major meat processing companies say they are taking precautions to keep workers safe, such as taking the temperature of everyone entering their plants and adding clear plexiglass shields between work stations.