Boar’s Head Shuts Virginia Plant Tied to Listeria, 500 Jobs Lost

The Boar’s Head plant in Jarratt, Virginia, associated with a serious ongoing listeria outbreak, is shutting down permanently, the company announced on Friday.

The outbreak, first reported by the CDC on July 19, has raised significant public health concerns. Just days later, on July 26, Boar’s Head recalled 207,528 pounds of liverwurst linked to the contamination. By July 30, the company expanded its recall to include all products manufactured at the Jarratt facility, totaling approximately 7.2 million pounds.

According to CDC reports as of August 28, at least 57 individuals have been hospitalized across 18 states, with the outbreak unfortunately linked to nine deaths.

Inspection records indicated that the Jarratt plant had been grappling with multiple hygiene issues since at least 2021. Reports of mold, mildew, the presence of insects, leaking water, and other unsanitary conditions were documented.

Approximately 500 workers represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400 Union will be affected by this closure, as indicated by union spokesman Jonathan Williams. There may also be additional management staff impacted by this decision, though the exact number is unclear.

“Given the seriousness of the outbreak and the fact that it originated at Jarratt, we have made the difficult decision to indefinitely close this location, which has not been operational since late July 2024,” Boar’s Head stated in an email statement. The company also shared the Notice of Suspension issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in July.

“It pains us to impact the livelihoods of hundreds of hard-working employees. We do not take lightly our responsibility as one of the area’s largest employers. But under these circumstances, we feel that a plant closure is the most prudent course. We will work to assist each of our employees in the transition process,” the statement added.

In conjunction with closing the Jarratt facility, Boar’s Head announced that it would permanently discontinue its liverwurst products. Investigations established that the source of contamination was unique to the Jarratt facility during the liverwurst production processes.

“This is a dark moment in our company’s history, but we intend to use this as an opportunity to enhance food safety programs not just for our company, but for the entire industry,” the company asserted in its statement.

The closure of the Jarratt plant marks a significant moment for Boar’s Head, which is well-known in the food industry. As the company navigates this challenging situation, the focus remains on ensuring the safety and well-being of consumers and restoring trust in their products.