Editor's note: The video above is from April 22.
Foster Farms has had nine employees test positive for COVID-19.
According to a press release, three positive cases at the plant in Kelso, Washington were found on April 17. Two additional positive cases were reported at an undisclosed date.
Foster Farms then tested 77 additional workers at the plant, in cooperation with the Cowlitz County Public Health Department, and found an additional four positive cases. Six of the tests are still pending.
Foster Farms will be testing its remaining employees on the packaging floor where the first positive occurred. The testing will begin on Monday, April 27.
"The steps Foster Farms has taken, in conjunction with the Cowlitz County Public Health Department, are prudent measures to ensure that the plant can continue to operate safely," said Dr. David Acheson, former FDA chief medical officer and a member of Foster Farms’ Food Safety Advisory Board. "The additional plant testing beginning Monday will provide further insights that will enable Foster Farms to enhance the plant’s safety strategy.”
Foster Farms said it is following the Centers for Disease Control’s guidance, in consultation with local public health authorities. It has in place the following employee protective measures:
- Rigorous sanitation and personal hygiene measures that are the core of our Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) as well as our Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans. As part of standard operating practices, plant sanitation is approved by USDA daily.
- Temperature-based Wellness Checks at each company facility - monitoring employees for fever and other symptoms of COVID-19 - to reduce the possibility of an infected individual entering our plants and offices.
- Company-supplied face coverings for our workers. We require employees to wear face coverings while working at the facility.
- Is completing the installation of table dividers to maintain social distance in break areas and workspace dividers within the plant where social distancing is otherwise not possible. Foster Farms has also established spacing intervals to ensure social distancing as employees enter.
- Implemented additional sanitizer stations throughout our facilities, limited travel and implemented screening of all outside visitors.
- Added more break area space to the facilities to permit greater social distancing.
- Increased the cleaning frequency of breakrooms and other high-touch surfaces.
Foster Farms said in the release it is providing employees guidance should they experience symptoms of COVID-19 or come into contact with someone who has confirmed positive for COVID-19.
- Any Foster Farms employee who is sick and showing symptoms of COVID-19 at home has been advised to self-quarantine and seek medical attention.
- Any Foster Farms employee who develops symptoms of COVID-19 while at work will be sent home and advised to self-quarantine and seek medical attention.
- In the case of a confirmed COVID-19 positive employee, Foster Farms will immediately determine those employees who have had close contact with the diagnosed individual and advise that they self-quarantine and seek medical attention.
- Employees age 65 and older, or those with underlying health conditions, have been advised that they may be at higher risk for COVID-19, as per the CDC. Foster Farms strongly recommends these employees consider remaining home from work. HR managers will meet with employee to address additional concerns.
“We are committed to our role as an essential part of the Pacific Northwest infrastructure, and are grateful to our employees for their tireless work in bringing nutrition to millions of families, particularly given rising concerns about a recurrence of protein shortages,” said Ira Brill, Foster Farms vice president of communication. “Everything that can be done, is being done to keep the workplace safe.”
Foster Farms also said that the CDC, FDA, USDA and the WHO have said that food and food packaging are not known to transmit COVID-19.