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Tuesday, April 14, 2020

World’s largest pork processor shuts down plant, warns of meat shortages during pandemic

CHICAGO — Smithfield Foods, the world’s biggest pork processor, said Sunday it will shut a US plant indefinitely due to a rash of coronavirus cases among employees and warned the country was moving “perilously close to the edge” in supplies for grocers.

Slaughterhouse shutdowns are disrupting the US food supply chain, crimping availability of meat at retail stores and leaving farmers without outlets for their livestock.

Smithfield extended the closure of its Sioux Falls, South Dakota, plant after initially saying it would idle temporarily for cleaning. The facility is one of the nation’s largest pork processing facilities, representing 4% to 5% of US pork production, according to the company.

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28 comments:

Anonymous said...

DAMN! Does this mean No Bacon?!?

Anonymous said...

I missed the part about how they are Chinese-owned....

Anonymous said...

Smithfield Foods started the Swine Flu H1N1 epidemic in 2009 in their feedlots in Mexico. They should have been sued into bankruptcy back then.

Anonymous said...

How soon we forget! China bought them when??

Anonymous said...

Smithfield, if I recall correctly, was purchased by a Chinese firm a couple of years ago! Maybe this is semi-intentional to hurt our infrastructure! They should not have been allowed to complete the purchase!

Anonymous said...

Ramen Noodles for everyone.

Darn Chinese win again!

(SARCASM FOLKS)

Anonymous said...

Smithfield Foods is owned by the WH Group. WH Group (Chinese: 万洲国际; pinyin: Wànzhōu Guójì), formerly known as Shuanghui Group (Chinese: 双汇集团; pinyin: Shuānghuì Jítuán),[4] is a publicly traded Chinese meat and food processing company headquartered in Luohe, Henan, China.[5] Sometimes also known as Shineway Group in English-speaking countries, the company's businesses include hog raising, consumer meat products, flavoring products, and logistics.[6] It is the largest pork producer in the world,[5] and the largest meat producer in China.[7]

Anonymous said...

Interesting side note... Smithfield is owned by the Chinese!

Anonymous said...

Washington is full of Pork!

Anonymous said...

Smithfield is NOT an american business. It is a China owned company. They have stopped all aspects of US production, but are continuing their exports to China.

Anonymous said...

Who owns Smithfield now...a Chinese company. They operate hog CAFOs to the detriment of US rural communities, our water supply, and more.

Anonymous said...

That's right. No loss here.

Anonymous said...

✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️

Anonymous said...

Yup Chinese majority ownership

RightOh said...

So be it ..another one off my list !

Anonymous said...

No Smithfield anything for me ever again!!!

Mooslum said...

I nots eat da pork cause I pray to Allah

Anonymous said...

2:18 you are correct, they are China owned. "They have stopped all aspects of US production"??? Huh, are you dumb or are you smoking something? Smithfield operates numerous farms that are company owned and they contract farms. They also hire plenty of folks for production here in the US not to mention the associated supply chain. Why do you people take 1 nugget of truth then manufacture an entire false narrative around it?

Anonymous said...

So we stop eating meat and become vegetarian. It's better for our health and immune system (which we need now).

Anonymous said...

Ok Ok

It is owned by China

The point is a lot of products will go short supply because the workers aren’t there. Get it? If people don’t go to work (like they are told) then this is a long term result.

It will get worse.

Question: where is the Charmin?
Seriously. Where is it? Did the US Government buy all of it?

Anonymous said...

They send most of it to China for processing. It's why I boycotted smithfield several years age.(when they started this).

Anonymous said...

I've been saying the same thing. Nobody admits to buying it up, but they are always out! Where the heck is the tp?

Anonymous said...

Hoarder's start your engines in 1,2,3.

Anonymous said...

What better way to increase deflated pork prices than to declare a possible shortage. Simple supply vs demand. More demand will drive up the price.

Anonymous said...

Going to happen at Perdue I see several on the deboning, line coughing. I reported them to the boss but was told to shut up about it.

Anonymous said...

BJs bacon is ok. (Millsboro) for those on the shore.

Anonymous said...

all the pork produced by this plant went to china! so f them! surprised the workers are still there supplying those criminal overlords!

Anonymous said...

Slumsbury should open up a "Wet Market" it would get us well known and we can use the place to get rid of unwanted pets, and pests.