WASHINGTON — Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called for swift action from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to investigate its handling of a Boar’s Head plant’s repeated violations leading up to an ongoing Listeria outbreak.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 57 people have been hospitalized and nine people have died as a result of the outbreak linked to sliced deli meat, including products from Boar’s Head.

“I am deeply concerned about the ongoing, nationwide Listeria outbreak linked to recalled Boar’s Head deli meat produced at the plant,” Blumenthal wrote to Phyllis Fong, USDA inspector general, regarding Boar’s Head’s Jarratt, Va., plant. “I am further alarmed by recent reports that the facility responsible for the outbreak had repeatedly violated federal regulations. Despite these findings, regulators allowed the facility to continue operating, endangering countless lives. The actions taken by the USDA were inadequate and an investigation is necessary to prevent deadly mistakes from reoccurring.”

Over the past year, government inspectors logged 69 instances of “noncompliance” with federal rules at the Jarratt facility. Violations included heavy discolored meat buildup, meat overspray on the walls, large pieces of meat on the floor, black patches of mold on a ceiling, blood puddled on the floor, and a rancid smell coming from the cooler.

In July 2024, Boar’s Head recalled 7 million lbs of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products after one of its products tested positive for Listeria, which prompted deli counter closures across the country, noted Blumenthal.

“While I am pleased to hear that the facility ‘will remain closed until the establishment is able to demonstrate it can produce safe product,’ the situation should have never been allowed to escalate to this level of severity,” Blumenthal concluded. “This serves as another example highlighting the need for urgent action to reform and improve the oversight of our food supply. That is why I urge you to move swiftly to investigate USDA’s actions to prevent this from happening again.”