VA Boar's Head Plant To Close After Deli Meat Listeria Outbreak

JARRATT, VA — A Virginia Boar's Head plant that produced deli meats tied to a nationwide listeria outbreak that has killed nine people and sickened dozens of others will close indefinitely, the company said Friday.

In a statement posted on its website, Boar's Head said it would close the plant located in Jarratt, a decision that comes after the company suspended all production there in July when a liverwurst sample tested positive for listeria.

The discovery prompted a recall of more than 7 million pounds of deli meat products for possible listeria contamination. Since the initial recall in July, nine people have died and 57 were sickened in 18 states.

In its statement, Boar's Head said it decided to close the Jarratt plant due to the "seriousness of the outbreak." The company also said it plans to discontinue liverwurst permanently.

"Under these circumstances, we feel that a plant closure is the most prudent course," the company said. "This is a dark moment in our company’s history, but we intend to use this as an opportunity to enhance food safety programs not just for our company, but for the entire industry."

Inspector reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture released last month showed that in the year leading up to the recall, 69 reports of “noncompliance” had been filed with the agency’s Food Safety Inspection Service against the Jarratt plant.

The dozens of violations in the plant that produces ready-to-eat meats included a “rancid smell,” mold and mildew buildup, “ample amounts of blood in puddles on the floor,” and pooled water from leaks that showed green algae growth.

Inspectors said there was condensation from one leak dripping over meat products. After inspectors flagged the problem, an employee cleaned it up three times, but each time, “the leaks returned within 10 seconds,” inspectors wrote on July 27 after noting fans that appeared to be blowing the condensation onto uncovered deli meats.

Inspectors also noted both live and dead insects, writing after a June inspection, “Small flying gnat-like insects were observed crawling on the walls and flying around the room. The room’s walls had heavy meat buildup.”

Following the report's release, Boar’s Head spokesperson Elizabeth Ward said in a statement to CBS News that operations were suspended so the plant could be thoroughly disinfected and employees could be retrained in food safety.

The company deeply regrets the impact of the recall and has made food safety its “absolute priority,” Ward said.

The Washington Post reported that 500 union workers are impacted by the plant closing, citing a United Food and Commercial Workers spokesperson who represents the employees at the Jarratt plant.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously said that people should double-check their refrigerators for any remaining recalled Boar’s Head products, as they have a long shelf life. Look for “EST. 12612” or “P-12612” inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels. Some of the products have sell-by dates into October 2024.

Listeria infections are caused by a hardy type of bacteria that can survive and even thrive during refrigeration. An estimated 1,600 people get listeria food poisoning each year and about 260 die, according to the CDC. Infections can be hard to pinpoint because symptoms may occur quickly — or up to 10 weeks after eating contaminated food.

The infections are especially dangerous for older people, those who are pregnant or those with weakened immune systems.