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Smithfield Closing Plant Indefinitely Amid COVID-19

Millions of servings of protein in inventory to be processed in preparation for full shutdown

Smithfield Foods, Inc.
Smithfield Foods, Inc.

The Smithfield Foods, Inc. Sioux Falls, South Dakota facility, one of the largest pork processing facilities in the U.S., is closing until further notice. “Unfortunately, COVID-19 cases are now ubiquitous across our country,” said Kenneth M. Sullivan, Smithfield president and chief executive officer. “The virus is afflicting communities everywhere. The agriculture and food sectors have not been immune. Numerous plants across the country have COVID-19 positive employees. We have continued to run our facilities for one reason: to sustain our nation’s food supply during this pandemic.”

Smithfield will resume operations in Sioux Falls once further direction is received from local, state, and federal officials.


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