Boar's Head makes 'difficult decision' to close delicatessen plant in Jarratt, Virginia, after deadly listeria outbreak

JARRATT, Va. – Boar's Head has closed its deli plant in Jarratt, Virginia. The plant was one of the city's largest employers. The plant halted production in July after a series of fatal food poisoning cases linked to meat from the plant.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said cases of the disease were first reported in May and continued through August. The plant is linked to the deaths of at least nine people and the hospitalization of about 50 others in 18 states.

“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-operational since late July 2024,” the company wrote on its website. “We are pained to impact the livelihoods of hundreds of hard-working employees. 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 wisest course of action. We will work to support each of our employees in the transition process.”

The Jarratt facility has repeatedly violated federal regulations, including because of mold, insects, liquid dripping from the ceiling and meat and grease residue on walls, floors and equipment, the AP reported in August.

Production at the Boar's Head plant in Virginia remains suspended due to a deadly listeria outbreak

Problems in the factory

According to documents released under a federal Freedom of Information Act request, state inspectors have logged 69 cases of “non-compliance” with federal regulations over the past year, including several in recent weeks.

Between August 1, 2023 and August 2, 2024, inspectors found “heavily discolored meat deposits” and “meat mist on the walls and large pieces of meat on the floor.”

They also documented flies “flying in and out” of the pickle vats and “black mold spots” on the ceiling. One inspector described pools of blood on the floor and “a rancid smell in the cold room.” According to the documents, plant personnel were repeatedly told they were not meeting requirements.

“I find it disgusting and disgraceful,” said Garshon Morgenstein, a Newport News man whose 88-year-old father, Gunter, died July 18 from a listeria infection traced to Boar's Head liver sausage. “I'm just more shocked that this was allowed to happen.”

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The facility was inspected by Virginia state authorities in cooperation with the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service.

When problems were identified, Boar's Head took “corrective actions consistent with FSIS regulations,” officials said.

According to the most recent available records, federal reports show no enforcement actions against Boar's Head between January and March.

The documents, first reported by CBS News, did not contain any test results confirming listeria at the factory.

The bacteria thrive on floors, walls and drains, in cracks and crevices, and on hard-to-clean parts of food processing equipment. Pests such as flies can easily spread the bacteria throughout a facility, and the germ can survive in biofilms – thin, slimy collections of bacteria that are difficult to eradicate.

Barbara Kowalcyk, director of the Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security at George Washington University, said the records raise numerous warning signs.

“I wonder why the company’s management and regulators have not taken further action,” she said.

Donald Schaffner, a food science and safety expert at Rutgers University who reviewed the inspection documents, said reports of condensation throughout the factory are concerning because it is a known risk factor for listeria.

“The fact that they keep having the same problems several weeks apart is an indication that they are really struggling to keep up with hygiene,” Schaffner said.

Exact figures are not yet available, but the New York Times previously reported that around 200 people worked at the Jarratt plant.

“Everyone agrees that this unprecedented tragedy was not the fault of the workforce, so it is especially unfortunate that the Jarratt plant will be closed indefinitely and so many men and women will lose their jobs,” a spokesperson for the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400 union, which represents workers at Boar's Head, wrote in an email. “Fortunately, these workers have a union they can rely on that will always have their backs. We appreciate Boar's Head's extraordinary efforts to keep our members on the job as long as possible and to ensure everyone is taken care of during this process. We are pleased to have reached an agreement with the company that provides our members with the opportunity to transfer to other Boar's Head facilities or accept severance pay that goes well beyond what is required by law.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This is an evolving story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.