Waterloo Times

COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Black Hawk County, Iowa, where local officials are criticizing Tyson Foods for continuing to operate at its Waterloo plant, but Tyson Foods said it is taking necessary safety precautions to continue operations to supply food to families. 

Black Hawk County officials are asking Tyson Foods to voluntarily close the Waterloo plant to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, according to KWWL. County Sheriff Tony Thompson said he's concerned the community will be overrun with the coronavirus if the Waterloo plant continues operations, according to Des Moines Register. 

“My personal opinion is that it should be closed,” Thompson told the Des Moines Register. “I think we need a hard boot, reset on that plant. I think we need to be able to sort out and cull the herd between the haves and the have-nots there. I think we need to deep-clean that facility and I think we need to restart that plant on a clean slate.”

Thompson gave his opinion on the plant not long after Iowa released data on the coronavirus for the state, which showed over 100 people tested positive for the virus in the county, the Des Moines Register reports. 

Gov. Kim Reynolds said there could be a potential outbreak at the Waterloo plant and started an effort to have all workers tested for the coronavirus, according to the Des Moines Register. But she said human resource mangers at the Waterloo plant told her that the plant is taking every safety and health precaution there is, the Des Moines Register reports. 

"The Department of Public Health is working closely with some of our processing plants — the Tyson plants, especially in Columbus Junction and Waterloo — in an effort to test all employees and conduct contact tracing for all positive cases," Reynolds said in a statement, the Des Moines Register reports. "I kind of ran through some of the things where, you know, they want to do everything they can to keep their workforce healthy [and they are] continually looking for additional things that they can do to make sure that they have a safe environment for their employees."

But local officials wrote a letter to the plant, asking Tyson Foods to voluntarily cease operations to allow for a cleanse of the plant, according to KWWL.

"We ask that you voluntarily cease operations, on a temporary basis, at your Waterloo facility so appropriate cleaning and mitigation strategies can take place," County Supervisor Chris Schwartz said during a press conference, KWWL reports. 

Tyson Foods responded by saying the plant is following CDC guidelines and is doing everything to keep employees safe, according to KWWL.

"We’re working diligently to keep our team members across the country safe and have been successfully collaborating with leaders in other plant communities in addressing COVID-19 concerns," a Tyson Foods spokesperson said in response to the letter, according to KWWL. "Our workplace safety efforts are strictly enforced and include checking worker temperatures, requiring and providing face coverings and initiating additional cleaning. We’ve implemented social distancing measures, providing more break room space and installing workstation dividers."

But Thompson visited the Waterloo plant and said he thinks the safety measures implemented show that the plant puts production ahead of safety, the Des Moines Register reports. 

“We walked into that plant and some people are wearing homemade masks, some people are wearing bandannas and some people aren’t wearing anything,” Thompson told the Des Moines Register. “They’re working elbow-to-elbow. Some are reaching over the top of others on the food production lines. They deep clean once a night. They felt like they were doing a good job, and we walked out of there thinking, ‘Oh my goodness, if this is the bare minimum, this isn’t enough.’”

Local officials continue to ask the plant to cooperate and close and some have even asked the governor to intervene, according to the Des Moines Register.

"We've got a serious problem, and I think it's time for the governor to step up to the plate, be honest with Iowa and the management of Tyson (to) take this very seriously and follow the recommendations from all the leadership in Black Hawk County," Sen. Bill Dotzler told the Des Moines Register.

Tyson spokeswoman Liz Croston said employee safety is the company's priority. 

"Protecting our team members continues to be top priority for us," Croston said in a statement.