Boar’s Head Plant Posed ‘Imminent Threat’ 2 Years Before Listeria Outbreak, USDA Documents Show

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors had warned that a Boar’s Head plant in Virginia had deficiencies that posed an “imminent threat” two years before an outbreak of the recent listeria bacteria and a related recall of numerous meat products, as officials with the federal agency confirmed Thursday that an investigation into the matter is still ongoing. Inspection documents that were recently released by the USDA show that government inspectors found “major deficiencies associated with the establishment’s physical conditions” at the plant in Virginia in September 2022, which pose an “imminent threat to [the] product.” The inspection documents show the plant had green mold on the wall, condensation on the floor, and rusted equipment. They also noted that there were beetles in a hallway; items such as trash, screws, and other material in the production area; as well as blood in puddles on the floor, flies, and dirty equipment....