The Boar’s Head location in Jarratt that was the source of a fatal Listeria outbreak in its liverwurst meat product will permanently close leaving hundreds jobless, the company announced today.
“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,” read a statement on the Boar’s Head website.
“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.”
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Services, or FSIS, suspended operations at the Jarratt plant effective July 31 in response to the Listeria outbreak.
Boar’s Head reports that an exhaustive internal investigation found the root cause of the contamination as a specific production process that only existed at the Jarratt facility and was used only for liverwurst.
As a result of the discovery, Boar’s Head said it also plans to permanently discontinue production of liverwurst.
“Throughout this process, we worked closely with the USDA and state government regulatory agencies, and we thank them for their oversight. We have also partnered with the industry’s leading food safety experts to oversee this investigation. They have left no stone unturned at Jarratt,” the statement said.
In response to the inspection and noncompliance reports at the Jarratt plant, the company said it “will not make excuses.”
“We regret and deeply apologize for the recent Listeria monocytogenes contamination in our liverwurst product.
“We understand the gravity of this situation and the profound impact it has had on affected families. Comprehensive measures are being implemented to prevent such an incident from ever happening again.
“This is a dark moment in our company’s history, but we intend to use this as an opportunity to enhance food safety programs not just for our company, but for the entire industry.”
Nine deaths and 57 hospitalizations have been linked to the Listeria outbreak from the Boar’s Head liverwurst product, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The last update from the CDC was on Aug. 28. Additional deaths and hospitalizations linked to the outbreak are possible.
To date, two lawsuits have been filed by Virginians. One was filed on behalf of a Newport News man who died after eating liverwurst; the second for a Williamsburg woman who survived but went through a harrowing ordeal and is still in recovery.
More than 300 locations in Virginia sold the contaminated liverwurst product.
The future of Boar’s Head Provisions
Boar’s Head says it plans to conduct an in-depth review and analysis of all of its processes and procedures at its meat production facilities.
To prevent future incidents, Boar’s Head says it is implementing enhanced food safety and quality measures.
The measures include:
- Appointing a new chief food safety and quality assurance officer who will report directly to Boar’s Head’s president. The company is recruiting now and aims to have this new executive begin as soon as possible.
- Establishing a Boar’s Head food safety council comprised of independent industry-leading food safety experts some of whom have been assisting with the current investigation at the Jarratt facility. The council will assist the company’s adoption and implementation of enhanced quality assurance programs and create a new standard for food safety in the industry.
Already named to the council are Dr. Mindy Brashears, a leading food safety expert and former USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety; Dr. Martin Wiedmann, a renowned food microbiologist and academic who has conducted extensive research on foodborne pathogens and their prevention; Frank Yiannas, the former Deputy Commissioner for Food Police & Response in the Food and Drug Administration; and Dr. David Acheson, president and CEO of a global food safety consulting group.
Boar’s Head said it aims to develop an industry-leading program that strengthens the culture of food safety.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to our customers and to the safety and quality of our products. You have our promise that we will work tirelessly to regain your trust and ensure that all Boar’s Head products consistently meet the high standards that you deserve and expect.
“We are determined to learn from this experience and emerge stronger.”
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