Smithfield Foods plant in Monmouth will resume operations on Saturday according to a statement from the company.
That includes operations for the Kill, Shipping, Plant Service, Maintenance, and Animal Foods Departments.
Then on Monday, May 4, Smithfield will resume all cold side operations.
President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order Tuesday, declaring meat processing critical infrastructure under the Defense Production Act.
Monmouth stopped production on Monday after several employees were said to have tested positive for COViD-19
They voiced their support for President Trump’s order that would allow meat processing plants to stay open in a statement Wednesday.
Trump’s executive order declares meat processing critical infrastructure to protect against disruptions in the food supply.
This would clear the way for meat processing plants to re-open, like the one in Monmouth that halted production Monday.
Smithfield said when announcing the closure that the “inherent nature” of meat processing, which is labor-intensive, assembly-line style production, makes social distancing particularly challenging.
But on Wednesday they say their company “was quick to adopt a series of processes, protocols and protective measures that follow, and in many cases exceed, the strict guidance of the CDC and OSHA.”
Smithfield also notes they have “not furloughed or laid off a single worker, despite closing multiple locations.”
