GREEN BAY, WIS. – JBS USA announced the temporary closure of its beef production plant in Green Bay, Wis., following a coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The company said it will work with state and local health officials while the facility is closed. JBS workers will follow Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ ‘Safer at Home Order’ while the plant is closed.

“Given the continued spread of coronavirus in our community and among our workforce, we have decided to voluntarily close our Green Bay facility in an effort to help flatten the curve of infections in Brown County,” said Shannon Grassl, president of the JBS USA Regional Beef. "We’ve been focused on doing everything we can to keep the virus out of our facility, but we believe a temporary closure is the most aggressive action we can take to help our community collectively slow the spread of COVID-19.”

According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services on April 26, 776 cases have been reported in Green Bay’s Brown County. 

JBS said its Green Bay facility is the fourth plant to temporarily close to help slow community spread. Two of the beef facilities in Souderton, Pa., and Greeley, Colo., recently reopened. The pork facility in Worthington, Minn., remains closed.

JBS USA operates more than 60 meat, poultry and prepared foods facilities across the United States.