Hormel Foods and Quality Pork Processors in Austin, Minnesota, have avoided a significant COVID-19 outbreak this spring, until now. Together, the state’s largest meat-processing complex, had 231 positive cases on Friday according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Minnesota Pork Producers Association President Dave Mensink says this isn’t the only flare up in the processing sector, so the healing process will continue slow.

He says even with the addition of Saturday shifts they are still not back to full processing capacity in the region and may not be for a while.

Mensink says that is still backing up hogs for many pork producers, including his operation.

Mensink says this has producers well below the cost of production and it’s also devastating for rural communities in the state and region.
The Hormel plant employs more than 1,800 people, with 1,300 workers at Quality Pork which slaughters the hogs that Hormel further processes.