South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem Wants To Reopen Smithfield Foods Plant ‘In A Matter Of Days’

TOPLINE

South Dakota Republican Governor Kristi Noem said in a Monday morning Fox News interview that she wants to re-open Smithfield Foods’ Sioux Falls processing plant in a “matter of days,” despite the increasing number of plant closures around the country after the company’s Sioux Falls location became the largest coronavirus hotbed in the United States. 

KEY FACTS

Critical quote

“This is a critical infrastructure business. I’ve always talked about our food supply as a national security issue because it’s important we feed ourselves in this country, and make that a priority so I’m hopeful we can get it open as soon as possible..my hope is days,” said Noem.

Key background

America’s meat processing, in particular pork processing, has been hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with outbreaks not only afflicting Smithfield, but also JBS USA and Tyson
TSN Foods, which employs about 100,000 workers and has closed pork facilities in Waterloo, Iowa, and Logansport, Indiana, after employees contracted COVID-19. 

Employees allege unsafe working conditions. A Tyson employee told CNN the company pressured him to come to work, assuring him of his safety. Members of a rural works’ rights group and an unnamed Missouri Smithfield Foods employee sued the company on Wednesday alleging “horrific” working conditions, saying, “I am afraid for my health and safety, as well as the health and safety of people I am in contact with and the larger community because of the way in which Smithfield is managing the Plant in response to COVID-19,” according to ABC News. 

In a statement to Forbes, a spokesperson for JBS said, “We will endeavor to keep our facilities open to help feed the nation, but we will not operate a facility if we do not believe it is safe. The health and safety of our team members remains our number one priority,” citing additional measures the company has taken to assure worker safety amid coronavirus, including: worker PPE, pre-entrance temperature testing, increased sanitation and disinfection, physical distancing, physical partitions on production lines, virtual health services and visitor restrictions. 

Tyson board chairman John Tyson took out full page ads in Sunday’s New York Times
NYT
, Washington Post and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette to publish a letter saying “The food supply chain is breaking,” and that the company’s work is “as essential as healthcare,” defending company working conditions, saying: “Tyson Foods places team member safety as our top priority.”

Smithfield and Tyson did not respond to Forbes for comment by time of publication. 

Further Reading

Gov. Noem On COVID Stimulus: Give Us flexibility, Don’t Bailout Poorly Governed States (Fox News)

St. Charles’ Smithfield Foods Plant Closes Due To COVID-19 Concerns; At Least 1 Employee Hospitalized With Virus (ABC7 Chicago) 

‘The Food Supply Chain Is Breaking’: Tyson Foods Raises Coronavirus Alarm In Full-Page Ads, Defends Safety Efforts (Washington Post)

‘The Food Supply Chain Is Breaking,’ Tyson Says As Plants Close (CNN)

Smithfield Foods Becomes Largest Coronavirus Hotbed In United States, South Dakota Governor Yet To Mandate Stay Home Order (Forbes)

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