Worthington, MN (KROC-AM News) - A pork processing facility in southwestern Minnesota has announced it will reopen tomorrow in a limited fashion to provide producers with a humane euthanasia option for market-ready hogs.

Pork producers in the Worthington area are faced with euthanizing thousands of hogs because the JBS plant was shut down due to an outbreak of COVID-19. The company says it plans to deploy a reduced staff of 10 to 20 workers who will facilitate and manage the humane euthanasia and disposal process for about 13,000 hogs per day until meat processing at the plant can resume.

“None of us want to euthanize hogs, but our producers are facing a terrible, unprecedented situation,” Bob Krebs, President of JBS USA Pork said. “We will do everything in our power to work with the state of Minnesota to responsibly reopen our facility as soon as possible in support of producers who desperately require a more viable option for their hogs.”

A company news release says the plant in Worthington employs about 2000 people and processes around 20,000 hogs per day. The employees furloughed due to the shutdown are being paid.

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