2230 Wyatts Mill Rd, Jarratt, VA 23867

By Zak Failla From Daily Voice

The Boar's Head deli meat plant in Virginia, linked to a listeria outbreak that killed 10 people and sickened dozens more, is set to reopen, according to reports.

In September 2024, millions of pounds of deli meat were subject to recall after a listeria outbreak was reported at the facility in Jarratt, Virginia, where liverwurst samples tested positive for the bacteria. 

The outbreak sickened at least 60 people in more than a dozen states, according to federal officials. The facility was shut down in September, leaving nearly 200 workers without a job.

“It pains us to impact the livelihoods of hundreds of hard-working employees. We do not take lightly our responsibility as one of the area’s largest employers,” Boar’s Head wrote in a statement shared on its website at the time. “But, under these circumstances, we feel that a plant closure is the most prudent course.”

In response, Boar's Head announced that it had plans to hire a new Chief Food Safety officer and created a Food Safety Council filled with experts to help avoid a similar outbreak.

"Our approach includes rigorous food safety programs, stringent food handling certifications, ongoing third-party inspections, and advanced technologies designed to uphold the highest safety standards," officials said.

"We also focus on employee training and provide the support they need to maintain these standards and foster our food safety culture."

Removed Boar's Head products in the deli section of a Stop & Shop in Connecticut a day after a recall was expanded to seven million pounds on Wednesday, July 31.

Removed Boar's Head products in the deli section of a Stop & Shop in Connecticut a day after a recall was expanded to seven million pounds on Wednesday, July 31.

Daily Voice

With new standards in place, the Virginia plant is reportedly ready to reopen. 

“The facility is in full compliance with the guidelines and protocols set for the safe handling and production of food and the serious issues that led to suspension have been fully rectified,” officials with the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service said this week, the AP reported.

While the Virginia processing plant is set to begin production again, plants in Arkansas, Indiana, and other locations that were flagged for similar issues that led to the shutdown remain closed.

Tainted meat was distributed to stores nationwide, as well as to the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Panama.

"Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback data show that meats sliced at delis, including Boar’s Head brand liverwurst, are contaminated with Listeria and are making people sick," according to the CDC.

"Products sold at the deli, especially those sliced or prepared at the deli, can be contaminated with Listeria. Listeria spreads easily among deli equipment, surfaces, hands, and food."