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Perdue applauds dismissal of lawsuit against Smithfield
Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue says a federal judge’s decision not to hear a lawsuit filed against a Smithfield Foods plant affirms that OSHA “is the primary entity that has authority over worker’s safety.”
The lawsuit, filed by a community advocacy group and a worker of the Smithfield pork processing plant in Milan, Missouri, said the company was not taking enough measures to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19.
The judge says OSHA is in a better position to determine if Smithfield is out of compliance and the company has taken significant steps to reduce an outbreak.
Perdue says USDA has been working closely with OSHA and the CDC “to ensure meat processing facilities are abiding by federal guidelines” which is in line with President Trump’s executive order to keep those plants open.
Perdue says the critical supply of meat and poultry for Americans can be maintained and workers’ health and safety can be protected if the companies and agencies involved keep working together.
