Coronavirus outbreak leads to beef production cuts at Cargill plant in Canada that supplies McDonald's patties

The plant is built around efficiency, keeping workers in close quarters and making it impossible to social distance, Smithfield Foods spokesperson says

Smithfield Foods, Inc. recently closed a major pork processing plant in South Dakota, after workers were sickened with coronavirus in what has since become an outbreak hotspot. Now, in Canada, Cargill has cut production at one of the country's biggest beef-packing plants, after several dozen workers were confirmed sickened with the new coronavirus.

The workers' union says the Cargill plant, which produces patties for McDonalds restaurants, is now slaughtering 1,500 head of cattle per day, down from around 4,500.

From Reuters:

The Canadian arm of U.S. agribusiness Cargill temporarily idled its second production shift at High River, Alberta, on Monday, spokesman Daniel Sullivan said.

It adds to the list of roughly one dozen North American meat plants that have closed temporarily or cut production due to the pandemic.

The move came after workers unsuccessfully asked the plant and two other meat-processing companies in Alberta to close for two weeks amid concerns about their safety, said Tom Hesse, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 401. Thirty-eight workers at the Cargill plant have tested positive for coronavirus, he said.

The plant is built around efficiency, keeping workers in close quarters and making it impossible to safely operate it under current conditions, Hesse said in an interview.

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Cargill reduces beef production at Alberta plant as virus spreads

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