A Boar’s Head deli meat processing plant in Jarratt, Virginia, linked to a fatal listeria outbreak in 2023, is set to reopen after being shuttered for nearly a year. However, recent federal inspections reveal persistent sanitation problems at multiple company facilities, raising fresh concerns about food safety practices.
The Jarratt plant was closed in September 2023 after U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors identified serious lapses in sanitary conditions. The listeria outbreak associated with the plant resulted in 10 deaths and sickened dozens, prompting Boar’s Head to permanently cease liverwurst production and recall over 7 million pounds of deli meats.
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on July 18 that the suspension on the Jarratt facility had been lifted after a comprehensive review. The agency stated that “the serious issues that led to suspension have been fully rectified.”
Despite this, inspection records obtained by the Associated Press reveal troubling sanitation violations at other Boar’s Head plants in Arkansas, Indiana, and Virginia earlier this year. The June inspection report cited multiple violations, including:
- Meat and fat residues left on equipment and walls
- Blocked drains clogged with meat scraps
- Condensation dripping onto food-contact surfaces
- Employees failing to wear hairnets, aprons, and neglecting handwashing protocols
In a particularly disturbing April inspection at the Petersburg, Virginia site, inspectors found discarded meat—5 to 6 hams and several large pieces of meat—along with pooling meat juices beneath equipment.
“This is a pattern of negligence—cutting corners to protect the company’s bottom line at the expense of consumers,” said U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT). “These conditions show a complete disregard for food safety and public health.”
Food safety experts warn that these repeated violations point to deeper, systemic problems. Barbara Kowalcyk, director of the Food Safety and Nutrition Security Center at George Washington University, described the issues as indicative of “an organizational culture problem that needs to be addressed.”
Boar’s Head responded by affirming its “unwavering commitment to food safety and quality,” highlighting recent improvements to its protocols. The company also stated it is working closely with the USDA to reopen the Jarratt facility “in a measured, deliberate way in the coming months.”
Listeria monocytogenes, the bacteria responsible for listeriosis, ranks as the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States. It poses significant risks especially to pregnant women, older adults, and individuals with weakened immune systems, who are advised to exercise caution.
“There are issues at this organization that still are not completely under control, apparently,” Kowalcyk noted.
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