Boar’s Head Faces Scrutiny Over Widespread Sanitation Failures at Multiple Plants

USDA reports reveal years of unsanitary conditions at Boar’s Head facilities, following a deadly listeria outbreak linked to one factory.

USDA inspection records, released through Freedom of Information Act requests, document unsanitary conditions at Boar’s Head plants in Indiana, Arkansas, and Virginia over the past six years.
Violations include mold, insects, meat residue on equipment, dripping condensation, and pools of blood and trash, echoing issues at the Jarratt, Virginia plant tied to a 2024 listeria outbreak.
The listeria outbreak, linked to liverwurst, resulted in 10 deaths, over 60 illnesses, and a recall of 7 million pounds of deli meat, with only 2.6 million pounds recovered.
Boar’s Head has closed the Jarratt plant and announced plans to hire a 'food safety culture manager,' while facing lawsuits and calls for systemic changes to its safety protocols.
Lawmakers and advocacy groups have criticized the USDA for insufficient oversight, prompting the agency to propose stricter inspections, updated training, and broader testing for ready-to-eat food facilities.