Tyson Foods to indefinitely suspend operations at largest pork plant
Tyson Foods as well as other major food producers are shutting down processing plants due to coronavirus breaking out among workers. FOX Business' Susan Li with more.
Tyson Foods Inc plans to indefinitely suspend operations at its largest pork plant in the United States to contain the rapid spread of the coronavirus, the company said on Wednesday.
It said the Waterloo, Iowa plant had already been working at reduced capacity, adding that the 2,800 workers at the plant, to be compensated during the closure, would be invited to come in later this week for coronavirus testing.
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The announcement marks the latest disruption to the U.S. food supply chain from the coronavirus outbreak, which has killed at least 177,000 people across the globe.
Smithfield Foods, the world's biggest pork processor, has also shut here a U.S. plant indefinitely following cases of COVID-19 among employees and warned the country was moving "perilously close to the edge" in supplies for grocers.
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“The combination of worker absenteeism, COVID-19 cases and community concerns has resulted in our decision to stop production,” Steve Stouffer, group president of Tyson Fresh Meats said.
Earlier this month, the company shut an Iowa hog slaughterhouse after more than 24 cases of COVID-19 involving employees at the facility.