Tyson Foods Idles Largest Pork Plant as Virus Slams Industry

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Tyson Foods is suspending operations indefinitely at a large Iowa pork processing plant that was blamed for fueling a coronavirus outbreak in the community.

The company warned Wednesday that its closing of the plant in Waterloo would be a blow to hog farmers and potentially disrupt the nation’s pork supply.

Tyson kept the plant open in recent days over the objections of the mayor and other local officials.

The plant employs 2,800 workers and can process about 19,500 hogs per day, almost 4% of the nation's pork processing capacity.

Several other meatpacking plants have temporarily closed due to coronavirus outbreaks.