Federal inspectors have documented unsanitary conditions at several Boar’s Head deli meat plants, including a facility in New Castle, Indiana, located in Henry County in the east-central part of the state. According to newly released U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) records, the findings reveal issues dating back six years, including meat and fat residue on equipment, mold, insects, and other contamination.
At the New Castle plant, an inspector described “general filth” in a room in 2023. Similar problems were reported at plants in Forrest City, Arkansas, and Petersburg, Virginia, such as green mold, flaking paint, “unidentified slime,” and a puddle of “blood, debris, and trash.”
These violations echo conditions found at the Jarratt, Virginia, facility tied to a 2023 listeria outbreak that sickened over 60 people in 19 states, resulting in 10 deaths. That plant was shut down, and more than 7 million pounds of deli meat were recalled.
Boar’s Head stated the documented violations did not meet the company’s high standards and confirmed that its remaining plants are operating under USDA oversight. However, lawmakers and food safety advocates have criticized the company and the USDA for failing to address systemic sanitation issues.
The USDA inspector general and the Department of Justice are investigating the matter, while Boar’s Head faces multiple lawsuits tied to the listeria outbreak.
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