SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, June 17, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — Three meat processing plants on the Wasatch Front have closed temporarily after being hit with an influx of COVID-19 cases.
“Because of early detection and preventative measures, they are on their way to recovering and should be returning to full operational capacity within the next 10 days,” said a news release from the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. “Each of the local facilities has taken special care to ensure that their employees, and the product, are protected.”
While a few plants are temporarily shut down to allow their employees to recover, there are still plenty of processors contributing to the local food chain, the news release said.
“The health, safety and vitality of the food supply chain is as strong as ever in the state and consumers should confidently know that there is plenty of safe and healthy meat available,” the news release added. “The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food is confident in the quality and quantity of meat being produced in the state. The department stands behind its processors and has worked tirelessly to ensure the proper and safe handling of all the food produced within the state.”
Meat processing plants in the state of Utah have, throughout the crisis, abided by local, state and federal health regulations, the news release said.
“We appreciate and stand behind meat processors in the state who have navigated the challenges of being an essential service through these difficult times,” said Utah Department of Agriculture and Food Commissioner Logan Wilde. “We remain confident in the quantity and quality of product being produced and processed. I sincerely hope that consumers trust that their meat is safe and that it will continue to be readily available to them. We will continue to hold our industries to the highest level of safety and health, to see us through the end of these challenging times.”
