On Monday morning, Bob Krebs, President of JBS USA Pork, told the media that the company’s Worthington, MN plant would shut down indefinitely due to COVID-19.
The facility employs more than 2,000 people and processes 20,000 hogs per day.
Krebs stated, “We recognize JBS Worthington is critical to local hog producers, the U.S. food supply and the many businesses that support the facility each and every day. As we all learn more about coronavirus, it is clear that the disease is far more widespread across the U.S. and in our county than official estimates indicate based on limited testing. We have taken aggressive actions to keep coronavirus out of our plant and keep this critical infrastructure facility operational. It is our hope that Governor Walz’s effort to implement more widespread community testing will help all of us better understand the measures we must all take to stop its potential spread. We must work together to defeat this common enemy.”
AS JBS worked toward avoiding COVID-19 at their processing plants, they implemented the following set of rules:
• Employees’ temperatures are being checked before entering facilities.
• Employees are wearing masks and personal protective equipment.
• Staff has been told to practice physical distancing throughout the work day.
• The plant is deep-cleaned each day.
• “Vulnerable populations” have been removed from the workforce with full pay and benefits offered.
• Sick employees are required to stay home and attendance policies have been relaxed.
• Short term disability waiting periods have been waived.
• Telemedicine services and preventative care have been made available at no cost for those enrolled in the company’s health plan.
• Visitors are restricted from entering facilities.
The Worthington, MN is the third plant owned and operated by JBS USA to close temporarily due to COVID-19. JBS USA operates more than 60 meat, poultry and prepared foods facilities across the United States.
