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Boar's Head closes factory in Virginia in connection with listeria outbreak

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The Boar's Head plant in Jarratt, Virginia, which is linked to the ongoing listeria outbreak in several states, will be permanently closed, the company announced Friday.

The deadly outbreak was first reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on July 19, after which the company recalled 207,528 pounds of liverwurst on July 26. Then on July 30, Boar's Head recalled all products made at the same Jarratt, Virginia, factory where the liverwurst was made, representing about 7.2 million pounds.

According to the CDC investigation, as of August 28, at least 57 people had been hospitalized as a result of the outbreak in 18 states, including nine deaths.

The human balance: His father died from listeria, which was linked to Boar's Head meat. He had to tell his story.

Inspection records showed that there were problems at the facility dating back to at least 2021, including reports of mold and mildew, insects, water leaks and other unsanitary conditions.

About 500 union members are affected by the closure, Jonathan Williams, spokesman for the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400 union, told USA TODAY. Other management employees are also likely affected, but he was not sure how many, he said.

“Given the severity of the outbreak and the fact that it originated in Jarratt, we have made the difficult decision to indefinitely close this site, which has been non-operating since late July 2024,” Boar's Head said in an email statement.

The company also shared the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) suspension notice that was served on the facility in July. The agency told Boar's Head that the facility had to close “because it was determined that your facility did not maintain sanitation conditions” and that “your facility produced products contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, which is associated with an ongoing outbreak.”

Closure of the Boar's Head plant hurts the company

“We are saddened to impact the livelihoods of hundreds of hard-working employees,” Boar's Head said in its updated statement on the product recalls on its website. “We do not take our responsibilities as one of the region's largest employers lightly. But under these circumstances, we believe a plant closure is the most sensible course of action. We will work to support each of our employees in the transition process.”

The company also announced that it would permanently stop production of its liver sausage products after investigations revealed that the root cause of the contamination lay solely at the Jarratt liver sausage plant.

“This is a dark moment in our company's history, but we intend to use this as an opportunity to improve food safety programs not only for our company, but for the entire industry,” the statement said.

Boar's Head takes new measures to prevent contamination

The company listed “enhanced food safety and quality measures” it will take “to prevent future incidents”:

  • Chief Food Safety Officer. The company creates and fills a new leadership position (Chief Food Safety and Quality Assurance Officer), reporting to Boar's Head President Carlos Giraldo.
  • A company-wide food safety and quality assurance program. Boar's Head announced the launch of a company-wide program led by the Chief Food Safety Officer to ensure compliance with food safety standards throughout the supply chain.
  • Establishment of a “Boar's Head Food Safety Council”. The council will consist of “independent, industry-leading food safety experts” who will advise the new Chief Food Safety Officer, help the company establish and implement enhanced quality assurance (QA) programs “and create a new standard for food safety in the industry.” Founding members include Dr. David Acheson, a global food safety consultant and former USDA official; food safety expert Mindy Brashears, also a former USDA official; food scientist and veterinarian Martin Wiedmann, who is also co-director of the New York State Integrated Food Safety Center of Excellence; and Frank Yiannas, former deputy commissioner for food policy and response at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

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