Boar’s Head Shuts Down Virginia Meat Plant After 9 Deaths Linked to Listeria

Boar’s Head is permanently closing its deli meat plant in Jarratt, Virginia, after a listeria outbreak that’s killed nine people so far and sickened dozens of others in 18 states, according to a Friday press release from the company. Liverwurst produced at the plant has been identified as the cause of the deaths and Boar’s Head says it will stop producing the product entirely at all of its facilities.

While nine deaths have been reported since Boar’s Head recalled its liverwurst on July 25, there is still serious concern about the possibility of more hospitalizations and deaths, according to the CDC. The health agency warns that listeria is a “hardy germ” that can remain on surfaces for extended periods of time and it can take up to 10 weeks for some people to even develop symptoms.

Importantly, some of the products that have been recalled have sell-by dates into October 2024 and there’s real concern that some of this meat is still sitting in the refrigerators of consumers around the country.

The New York Times published a damning piece earlier this week about health inspection failures at the meat plant in Jarrat, including the observation of extensive rust, meats that were exposed to wet ceilings, and the presence of green mold. Garbage and insects were also noted on the floors. But the U.S. Department of Agriculture reportedly failed to institute strict health measures despite the findings.

Roughly 400 workers will be impacted by the Virginia plant closing, according to the New York Times. Boar’s Head is reportedly providing severance packages and relocation to employees but details about those plans haven’t been released. There are also Boar’s Head plants in Arkansas, Indiana, Michigan, and New York.

“It pains us to impact the livelihoods of hundreds of hard-working employees. We do not take lightly our responsibility as one of the area’s largest employers,” Boar’s Head said in a statement published online. “But, under these circumstances, we feel that a plant closure is the most prudent course. We will work to assist each of our employees in the transition process.”

The CDC has been posting updates since the recall began in late July, but hasn’t updated its website about the listeria outbreak since August 28. All of the nine listeria deaths tied to the Boar’s Head products have been in consumers aged 70 or older and include people in Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico, New York, and South Carolina.

Boar’s Head said the company is appointing a new Chief Food Safety & Quality Assurance Officer who will report directly to the president. It’s also creating a new “Boar’s Head Food Safety Council” that will be “comprised of independent industry-leading food safety experts,” according to a press release.

“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,” the company said.