Smithfield Foods will suspend operations at its Monmouth, Illinois, facility beginning next week and until further notice after a small portion of its 1,700 employees tested positive for COVID-19. The Monmouth plant represents approximately 3% of U.S. fresh pork supplies and also produces bacon. Employees will be paid during the closure.

Smithfield noted that it has been proactively and aggressively tackling COVID-19 by implementing processes, protocols and protective measures throughout its operations and remains wholly committed to doing everything in its power to help protect its team members from COVID-19 in the workplace. At the same time, it stressed that the inherent nature of meat processing, which is labor intensive, assembly line style production, makes social distancing particularly challenging.

The company will continue to arm its team members with personal protective equipment like masks, which are stocked and in use at every single one of its facilities around the country. Smithfield has implemented thermal scanning companywide and installed plexiglass and other physical barriers on production floors and in break rooms. The company has been explicitly instructing employees not to report to work if they are sick and that they will be paid. It is also urging its team members to take steps to protect themselves and others from COVID-19 outside the workplace.

About Smithfield Foods
Headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia, since 1936, Smithfield Foods is an American food company with agricultural roots and a global reach. Our 40,000 U.S. employees are dedicated to producing “Good food. Responsibly.” and have made us one of the world’s leading vertically integrated protein companies. We have pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades, including many industry firsts, such as our ambitious commitment to cut our carbon impact by 25 percent by 2025. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to our neighbors in need. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield, Eckrich and Nathan’s Famous, among many others.

Click here for more COVID-19 coverage and how it is affecting the refrigerated and frozen foods industry.