GREELEY, COLO. – Meat processors JBS USA and parent company Pilgrim’s Pride announced a new program, “Your Shot at Free Meat for a Year,” to help vaccinate Americans in rural communities where the company operates.

JBS plans to partner with local health authorities for a number of free vaccination clinics and vaccine promotional events in more than 40 places near company locations in the next few weeks.

During the events, at least one newly-vaccinated person per location will be eligible to win free beef, pork and poultry to feed a family of four for an entire year. JBS also plans to donate more than 1 million lbs of free beef, pork and poultry to support local communities while hosting the clinics. 

“Since the onset of the pandemic, JBS USA and Pilgrim’s have been focused on protecting our team members and supporting our communities,” said Andre Nogueira, chief executive officer of JBS USA. “Most recently, our focus has been on providing the free opportunity of vaccination to our US team members as a way of helping bring an end to the pandemic. We’ve made great progress, and our vaccination rates are much higher than the rates in the communities that we call home.”

According to JBS USA, nearly 70% of its US workforce has been fully vaccinated so far. The company’s vaccination program includes onsite clinics, paid time off, a $100 incentive bonus, and a multi-lingual education campaign. 

“Unfortunately, the vaccination rate of team members at many of its rural facilities exceeds the average rate of vaccination in the surrounding community by more than 2-3 times,” the company said in a statement. “The company wants to help change this dynamic and raise local community vaccination rates to help safeguard its hometowns across the country.”

Any unvaccinated person 21 years or older is eligible for the promotional event involving free meat. Company-sponsored clinics will take place from June 26 to Aug. 31, 2021. Over the course of the events, 50 people will be randomly selected as sweepstakes winners of various prizes.

The first clinic will happen near the JBS USA beef processing plant in Greeley, Colo., during the Greeley Stampede, a community festival that attracts more than 250,000 people annually. The first clinic for that festival will be held June 26 with the last one on July 6.  

Nearly 80% of the workers at the Greeley facility have already been vaccinated, according to the company.

“Vaccination progress in the US has started to slow, with less than half of eligible Americans being fully vaccinated,” said Fabio Sandri, CEO at Pilgrim’s. “It is our hope that the ‘Your Shot at Free Meat for a Year’ sweepstakes will encourage more people to get vaccinated.”