Tyson Foods is reopening a plant that was temporarily shuttered due to coronavirus cases, while Conagra Brands is closing one.
Conagra has suspended operations at its frozen food plant in Marshall, Mo., until next Monday (April 27). The decision was made after about 20 employees were diagnosed with exposure to coronavirus.
The closing was announced April 17. Employees will be paid for the time off, the company says.
Meanwhile, Tyson is reopening a pork processing plant in Columbus Junction, Iowa, that had been shuttered for two weeks due to coronavirus. The company said in a statement that the plant will resume “limited operations.”
About 200 coronavirus cases had been reported in Louisa County, where Columbus Junction is located, and many of them were thought to originate from the Tyson plant. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has declined to order any plant closures, despite 67% of the state’s cases being traced to two meatpacking plants. State officials attribute the increase in coronavirus exposure cases to increased testing at the meat processing facilities.
