The accounts by Jarratt workers echo a damning accusation by the plant’s former sanitation manager Terrence Boyce that supervisors ignored red flags he raised about safety and health violations at the facility. Boyce has filed a whistleblower complaint with the Virginia Department of Labor claiming he was unjustly fired.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported a serious health concern as the death toll from a listeria outbreak linked to Boar's Head deli meats has risen to ten. The outbreak has also resulted in at least 59 hospitalizations,