Jennie-O Turkey Store resumes production at 2 plants

Production has resumed at two of three Jennie-O Turkey Store plants that had been idled over concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Roy Graber Headshot
Photo courtesy of Iowa Turkey Federation
Photo courtesy of Iowa Turkey Federation

Production has resumed at two of three Jennie-O Turkey Store plants that had been idled over concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company announced on May 7, that it reopened its facility on Benson Avenue in Willmar, Minnesota, with a core group of team members and plans to ramp up production over the next few days.

That plant, along with another Jennie-O plant on Willmar Avenue in Willmar, were taken offline in late April.

On May 8, Jennie-O Turkey Store announced it had also resumed production at its plant in Melrose, Minnesota. Like with the Benson Avenue plant, the Melrose plant reopened with a core group of workers with plans to gradually increase production. Production was idled in Melrose a few days after the Willmar plants temporarily ceased operations.

Steve Lykken, president of Jennie-O Turkey Store, said the company is working on plans to reopen the other plant in Wilmar.

“We remain committed to our industry-leading efforts to maintain and enhance safety protections for our team members … We have put the safety of our staff first throughout this pandemic and will continue to do so,” Lykken said.

“Our team is turning its attention and efforts to our new awareness initiative called KEEP COVID OUT! This campaign reinforces the preventative measures throughout our facility and the efforts of our team members to keep COVID-19 outside of our building(s) and out of our communities. COVID-19 affects us all and we must work together to stop its spread, both at the workplace and outside of work. … We are certainly eager to get back to doing what we love and that’s making great food.”

Jennie-O Turkey Store, the second largest turkey company in the United States, is a subsidiary of Hormel Foods. Hormel Foods earlier suspended production at its Alma Foods plant in Alma, Kansas, and Rochelle Foods plant in Rochelle, Illinois. Production at the Alma plant resumed on May 8, while production in Rochelle resumed on May 4.

View our continuing coverage of the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic.

Page 1 of 16
Next Page