Due to many slaughterhouse workers contracting COVID-19, pork processing plants across the US have closed to protect their employees, leaving producers with nowhere for their market animals to go. Following an executive order from President Trump, many of these plants are now back online, at least in some capacity.
Tyson Foods announced that limited production resumed at its Waterloo, Iowa facility on Thursday, May 7 after a 2-week shutdown. It's Logansport, Indiana facility that was shutdown on April 25, will reopen this same week with limited production.
Likewise, after an over 3-week shutdown, Smithfield Foods will begin resuming operations in its Sioux Falls, South Dakota plant on May 7. The company will take a phased approach, reopening its harvest floor on May 11. The company anticipates the plant will be fully operational by late May.
Stay up to date with the status of plant operations with the interactive map from the US Pork Checkoff.
May 6, 2020 - 333 Staff with information from Tyson Foods, Smithfield Foods, and the Pork Checkoff.