COVID-19 Causes Closure Of Iowa Pork Plant

Apr 09, 2020

Tyson Foods announced this week that it was stopping processing at an Iowa pork plant, due to a number of employees testing positive for COVID-19.

The plant processes over 10,000 hogs per day.

Tyler Fulton with Hams Marketing Services says this will have a major impact on the broader industry.

"We're not at our seasonal peak and so that's probably saving us a little bit but it's very concerning when a plant goes down, because what happens is, all of those hogs that would normally go into that plant have to be routed elsewhere. It causes logistical nightmares in several different areas, not to mention the possibility of some animal health concerns."

Fulton notes a closure like this will have a negative impact on the entire value chain.

He adds over the past couple of weeks, hog futures and forward contracts have dropped about a third of their value.

Cash markets have dropped more than 10 per cent over the past week.

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Video: What Does 20 MILLION Hogs a Year Look Like?

?? The Multi-Plant System Processing 20 Million Hogs Annually in the Midwest JBS USA operates multiple large-scale pork processing facilities across the Midwest, including major plants in Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana. Combined, these facilities have the capacity to process approximately 20 million hogs annually.

Each plant operates high-speed automated slaughter systems capable of processing up to 20,000 head per day, followed by fabrication lines that break carcasses into primals, sub-primals, and case-ready retail products.

Hog procurement is coordinated through electronic marketing platforms that connect regional contract finishing operations and independent producers to plant demand schedules. This digital procurement system allows for steady supply flow and scheduling efficiency across multiple facilities.

Processing plants incorporate comprehensive food safety systems, including pathogen intervention technologies, rapid chilling processes, and integrated cold-chain management. USDA inspection is embedded throughout the harvest and fabrication stages to ensure regulatory compliance and product integrity. Finished pork products — from bulk primals to retail-ready packaged cuts — are distributed through coordinated logistics networks serving domestic and export markets.