Nearly two months after Boar's Head liverwurst produced at a plant in Jarratt, Virginia was linked to a deadly listeria outbreak, the plant is shutting down indefinitely and the company is discontinuing its liverwurst product for good, according to a Boar's Head statement shared on Friday.
The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400 Union, which represents employees at the Jarratt plant, said the company decided to close the plant due to the recalled products that came from the facility.
The union says efforts are underway to help the people who will lose their jobs when the plant closes. Their statement in full is as follows:
“Everyone agrees this unprecedented tragedy was not the fault of the workforce, so it is especially unfortunate that the Jarratt plant must close indefinitely and put so many men and women out of work. Thankfully these workers have a union they can count on to always have their backs. We appreciate the extraordinary efforts Boar’s Head has made 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 will provide our members with the opportunity to transfer to other Boar’s Head facilities or to accept a severance package well above and beyond what is required under the law. In the meantime, we will continue to meet the needs of our members to get them back on their feet, including coordinating with management and the state to provide job placement and other support services for those who choose not to remain with the company.”
Watch previous coverage: Family remembers local Holocaust survivor who died during Boar's Head listeria outbreak
Boar's Head says after investigating, they learned that the listeria contamination happened as a result of a "specific production process" that was only used for liverwurst at the Jarrett facility. After learning this, Boar's Head says it's permanently discontinuing its liverwurst product.
"This is a dark moment in our company’s history," Boar's Head said in a statement. "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 released a Notice of Suspension report from the USDA dated July 31, 2024 regarding its Jarratt plant linked to the listeria outbreak.
Recalls
REPORT: Boar's Head's Notice of Suspension from the USDA at Jarratt, Va. plant
Boar's Head says they're working to help the employees impacted by the closure of the Jarratt plant, which they said is one of the area's largest employers.
"Given the seriousness of the outbreak, and the fact that it originated at Jarratt, we have made the difficult decision to indefinitely close this location, which has not been operational since late July 2024. 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. 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 statement reads.
The company's statement can be read in full here.
Boar's Head has now established a "Food Safety Council," consisting initially of four food safety experts.
Records obtained by the Associated Press say the Jarratt plant repeatedly violated federal regulations. These violations include the presence of mold, insects, liquid dripping from ceilings, and meat and fat residue on walls, floors and equipment, the records show.
Watch previous coverage: Issues spotted two years ago at the Boar's Head Plant linked to the deadly listeria outbreak
A recall for Boar’s Head products was first issued on July 26 after a liverwurst sample tested positive for listeria, according to the USDA. Since then, the recall was expanded to include about 7 million additional pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry Boar’s Head products.
The Boar’s Head products left nine people dead and 57 others infected across the country, according to latest data from the CDC. However, the CDC says the actual cases are likely much higher due to people not being tested for listeria.
The company is now facing several lawsuits, including two connected to our area.
Watch previous coverage: Willamsburg woman files $10 million lawsuit against Boar's Head
The family of 88-year-old Gunter "Garshon" Morgenstein from Newport News filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Boar's Head. Morgenstein died after contracting listeria that was eventually linked to contaminated Boar's Head liverwurst. The lawsuit seeks up to $75,000 in damages.
Boar's Head is also facing a $10 million lawsuit on behalf of 76-year-old Barbara Schmidt from Williamsburg. The suit alleges that after Schmidt bought Boar's Head liverwurst on July 12, she contracted listeria, spent nearly a week in the ICU and had to undergo procedures to save her life.
