Tyson Foods to resume operations at Indiana pork processing facility

Tyson Foods beef and pork subsidiary Tyson Fresh Meats has announced its plans to partially resume operations at its pork processing facility in Logansport, Cass County of Indiana.

Last month, the company announced a temporary suspension of operations at the facility to carry out Covid-19 tests for its team members.

The company said that the operations will begin at the facility after local health and government officials, as well as union representative and medical professionals, complete their plant tour.

Speaking of the development, Cass County Health Department health officer Dr Dori Ditty said: “Tyson Fresh Meats has worked well with local community leaders to make sure its re-opening plan is safe.

“We toured the plant and feel the additional measures implemented will allow employees to work safely while continuing to follow CDC guidelines and recommendations. We’ll continue to closely monitor the situation to ensure the safety of employees.”

Tyson Foods pork senior vice-president Todd Neff said: “We’ve taken additional precautions to reassure team members that they are returning to a safe work environment and have made additional changes to continue supporting them during this global health crisis.

“While the facility was idled, we added more workstation barriers, installed more hand sanitiser dispensers, and did additional deep cleaning and sanitation.

“We’re also now screening employees for additional symptoms and designating monitors to help enforce social distancing while following the CDC and OSHA’s guidance for Meat and Poultry Processing Workers and Employers.”

On 22 April, Tyson Fresh Meats announced that it will indefinitely suspend production at its pork plant in Waterloo, Iowa, due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis.

The Waterloo plant, the company’s largest pork processing facility, has been running at reduced production levels due to worker absenteeism.

Tyson Foods is based in Springdale, Arkansas and is the world’s second-largest processor and marketer of pork, as well as chicken and beef.