SIOUX FALLS, SD. – Smithfield Foods Inc. announced recently that it reached a resolution with the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regarding an ongoing investigation into a massive outbreak of COVID-19 in April at the company’s pork processing facility in Sioux Falls, SD.

In July, the company filed a motion to intervene with OSHA’s investigation into the matter as the agency tried to obtain South Dakota state officials test results, communication with Smithfield employees and/or photos of the plant. 

Smithfield’s Keira Lombardo, executive vice president of corporate affairs and compliance, said the resolution maintained “private employee medical and confidential business information would be protected from disclosure to the public and/or will not be made available to our competitors.”

Lombardo also said the company was asking for the opportunity to review these documents to flag issues and if concerns were validated, require production. This would include confidentiality safeguards.

“Our employees in Sioux Falls have already experienced discrimination in the community amid the pandemic, and we take our responsibility to protect their private health information seriously,” Lombardo said.