Coronavirus Affects 2 Wisconsin Meat Packing Plants

MILWAUKEE, WI — Coronavirus concerns have forced the temporary closures of two Wisconsin meat-packing plants as officials grapple with how to limit its spread in the face of a Presidential directive that forces such plants to stay open across the country.

Coronavirus infections have been reported at a JBS USA plant in Green Bay and also at a Patrick Cuday/Smithfield Foods plant in Cudahy.

Citing the Defense Production Act, President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday to keep meat packing plants open, calling them "critical infrastructure," according to a Patch report from earlier this week. Under the order, the government will provide additional protective gear for employees as well as guidance.

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According to OSHA, the coronavirus has affected many meat and poultry processing facility workers in plants in several U.S. states, including Wisconsin. "While the meat products these workers handle do not expose them to the coronavirus, close contact with coworkers and supervisors may contribute to their potential exposures," OSHA officials said in a statement on April 26.

On April 26, JBS USA announced it was closing its Green Bay-based beef production facility.

Company officials said the plant employs more than 1,200 people and feeds nearly 3.2 million Americans every day. According to a Wisconsin Public Radio report, local health officials traced at least 189 positive COVID-19 cases back to the JBS plant last week.

On April 24, OSHA told the Journal Sentinel they would launch an investigation into the working conditions at the Patrick Cuday/Smithfield Foods meat packing plant over COVID-19 concerns. According to the report, Smithfield Foods said they would shut down the plant to sanitize and clean the facility. According to a WTMJ report, local officials in Cudahy are not releasing the number of COVID-19 infections that have been traced back to the operation.

Authorities have not said how many COVID-19 cases have been traced back to the Cudahy-based plant. On April 23, health officials with the City of Cudahy announced they were offering free testing for COVID-19 for all employees of Smithfield Foods on a voluntary basis.

Related Reading

• Wisconsin Coronavirus Tracker
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