Records Reveal Unsanitary Conditions at Boar’s Head Facility Linked to Listeria Outbreak

Sep 02, 2024

Recent USDA documents have uncovered alarming sanitary violations at the Boar’s Head plant in Virginia, tied to a severe listeria outbreak. Over the past year, the facility was cited for 69 instances of noncompliance, including discolored meat buildup, black mold on the ceiling, flies in pickle vats, and blood puddles on the floor. Despite multiple warnings, these issues persisted, leading to a listeria outbreak that has claimed nine lives and hospitalized 50 others across 18 states. The company recalled over 7 million pounds of deli meat products in response.

This outbreak serves as a critical reminder of the importance of strict adherence to sanitary protocols within food production facilities. The consequences of neglecting these standards are not just regulatory but can result in severe public health crises, as seen in this case.

For the swine industry, maintaining rigorous hygiene standards is paramount to preventing similar incidents. The implications extend beyond legal repercussions and directly impact consumer trust and safety. As the industry moves forward, it is essential to learn from these failures to ensure that such tragedies are not repeated.

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Video: Four Star Pork Industry Conf - Back to Basics: Fundamentals drive vaccine performance

At a time when disease pressure continues to challenge pork production systems across the United States, vaccination remains one of the most valuable and heavily debated tools available to veterinarians and producers.

Speaking at the 2025 Four Star Pork Industry Conference in Muncie, Indiana, Dr. Daniel Gascho, veterinarian at Four Star Veterinary Service, encouraged the industry to return to fundamentals in how vaccines are selected, handled and administered across sow farms, gilt development units and grow-finish operations.

Gascho acknowledged at the outset that vaccination can quickly become a technical and sometimes tedious topic. But he said that real-world execution, not complex immunology, is where most vaccine failures occur.