Smithfield Foods Sued for Failing to Prevent Spread of COVID-19 at Mo. Plant

KANSAS CITY — Smithfield Foods Inc. has been sued in Missouri federal court, accused of failing to adequately protect employees from the spread of COVID-19 in its Milan, Mo., pork processing plant.

The April 23 complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri says Smithfield has blamed “certain cultures” for the spread of the virus in its plants rather than its failure to provide workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) and allow hand washing and social distancing.

“In direct contravention of CDC guidelines, Smithfield provides insufficient PPE; forces workers to work shoulder to shoulder and …