(Radio Iowa) – State officials today (Tuesday) confirmed COVID-19 outbreaks at Perdue Farms pork processing facilities in northwest Iowa. A company spokesperson says the testing was conducted on May 4th and 5th. On May 11th, Perdue Farms announced 425 workers had been tested and fewer than 20 percent tested positive. According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, 69 workers at the Perdue Farms plant in Sioux CENTER tested positive and tests confirm another 20 workers at the company’s plant in Sioux CITY have had the virus.

Hogs are slaughtered at the facility in Sioux Center and the Sioux City location is the processing plant for ALL the company’s pork products. Jim Perdue, chairman of family-owned Perdue Farms, issued a video statement on May 7th about the pandemic. “We are supplying masks and protective gear to our associates and government inspectors in our plants as well as any essential personnel who enters our facilities,” Perdue said. “…We have increased our already stringent cleaning and sanitation protocols and we are physically altering our production plants and running at reduced speeds to facilitate social distancing.”

Perdue Farms is based in Maryland. The company’s website indicates it owns plants throughout the country that process poultry, pork, lamb and beef.