Meat processing company Smithfield Foods is indefinitely shuttering its pork processing plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, after the factory became a hot spot for COVID-19 infections.
The closure follows a request from South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to temporarily shut down the plant over the virus outbreak. Noem said about half of the state's active COVID-19 cases are Smithfield employees.
Smithfield previously argued it needs to keep its factories open to support the U.S. food supply chain during the crisis. The company says it puts out about 18 million servings a day — close to 5% of total U.S. pork production — at its Sioux Falls factory.
Smithfield CEO Ken Sullivan said in a statement the plant closure "is pushing our country perilously close to the edge in terms of our meat supply. It is impossible to keep our grocery stores stocked if our plants are not running."
The company says it will be able to pay the 3,700 factory workers for at least two weeks following the plant’s closure, and it will look to local officials for guidance on when to reopen the factory.
