On Apr. 22, 2020, Tyson Fresh Meats, the beef and pork subsidiary of Tyson Food, planned to indefinitely suspended operations at its Waterloo, Iowa, pork plant.

The facility, the company’s largest pork plant, had been running at reduced levels of production due to worker absenteeism. The facility’s 2,800 team members were to be tested for COVID-19 before returning to work.

Affected Waterloo team members continued to be compensated while the plant is closed. The timing of resumption of operations depended on a variety of factors, including the outcome of team member testing for COVID-19.

Tyson Foods had been focused on COVID-19 since January when it formed a company coronavirus task force. It has since implemented numerous measures to protect workers. It was one of the first food companies to start taking worker temperatures. The company started efforts to secure a supply of protective face coverings before the CDC recommended them and now requires their use in all facilities. In an effort to promote social distancing, plants like Waterloo have installed workstation dividers and are providing more breakroom space.

Tyson Foods’ other meat and poultry plants currently continue to operate, but some are running at reduced levels of production either due to the planned implementation of additional worker safety precautions or worker absenteeism.