US pork processor Smithfield to pay $2M in child labor settlement
By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), Shea Taylor (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Lead Video Editor)
Smithfield Foods, one of the U.S.’ largest meat processors, agreed to pay $2 million in a settlement over child labor allegations. A Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry investigation found the Smithfield packaged meats plant in St. James employed at least 11 children between the ages of 14 and 17 from April 2021 to April 2023.
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Smithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
Click to see story on WPLGSmithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
Click to see story on WKMGSmithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
Click to see story on KOB 4Smithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
Click to see story on WTVRSmithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
Click to see story on KESQSmithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
Click to see story on KEYTSmithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
Click to see story on NewsdaySmithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
Click to see story on KIONSmithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
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Smithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
Click to see story on My Mother LodeSmithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant – The Morning Sun
Click to see story on Morning SunCompany agrees to pay 2 MDD for child labor allegations at Minnesota plant | Agencies | The Voice of the Interior
Click to see story on La VozCompany agrees to pay 2 MDD for child labor allegations at Minnesota plant
Click to see story on Independent EspañolSmithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant – Regional Media News
Click to see story on regionalmedianews.comSmithfield Foods responds to Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry settlement
Click to see story on nationalhogfarmer.comThe agency also found Smithfield let nine of the underage employees work after allowable hours and all 11 performed potentially dangerous work. As part of the settlement, Smithfield also agreed to not break labor laws in the future.
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In a statement, Smithfield denied knowingly hiring anyone under 18. It also said all 11 passed the federal E-Verify employment eligibility system by using false identification.
The case is the latest in a series of alleged violations by major U.S. meat producers, which have for years struggled to fill their plants amid worker shortages. Last year, the federal Department of Labor imposed more than $1.5 million in civil penalties against one of the country’s largest cleaning services for food processing companies after finding it employed more than 100 children in dangerous jobs at 13 meatpacking plants across the country.
SMITHFIELD FOODS – ONE OF THE U-S’ LARGEST MEAT PROCESSORS – HAS AGREED TO PAY TWO MILLION DOLLARS IN A SETTLEMENT OVER CHILD LABOR ALLEGATIONS.
A MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR INVESTIGATION FOUND THE SMITHFIELD PACKAGED MEATS PLANT IN ST. JAMES EMPLOYED AT LEAST 11 CHILDREN – FROM 14 TO 17 YEARS OLD – FROM APRIL 20-21 TO APRIL 20-23.
THE AGENCY ALSO FOUND SMITHFIELD LET NINE OF THE UNDERAGE EMPLOYEES WORK AFTER ALLOWABLE HOURS AND HAD ALL 11 PERFORM POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WORK.
SMITHFIELD ALSO AGREED TO NOT BREAK LABOR LAWS IN THE FUTURE, AS PART OF THE SETTLEMENT.
IN A STATEMENT – SMITHFIELD DENIED KNOWINGLY HIRING ANYONE UNDER 18.
IT ALSO SAID ALL 11 PASSED THE FEDERAL E-VERIFY EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY SYSTEM BY USING FALSE IDENTIFICATION.
THE CASE IS THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF ALLEGED VIOLATIONS BY MAJOR US MEAT PRODUCERS, WHICH HAVE FOR YEARS STRUGGLED TO FILL THEIR PLANTS AMID WORKER SHORTAGES.
LAST YEAR – THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF LABOR IMPOSED MORE THAN 1 POINT 5 MILLION DOLLARS IN CIVIL PENALTIES AGAINST ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S LARGEST CLEANING SERVICES FOR FOOD PROCESSING COMPANIES AFTER FINDING IT EMPLOYED MORE THAN 100 CHILDREN IN DANGEROUS JOBS AT 13 MEATPACKING PLANTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
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Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
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Smithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
Click to see story on WPLGSmithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
Click to see story on WKMGSmithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
Click to see story on KOB 4Smithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
Click to see story on WTVRSmithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
Click to see story on KESQSmithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
Click to see story on KEYTSmithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
Click to see story on NewsdaySmithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
Click to see story on KIONSmithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
Click to see story on KYMARight
Untracked Bias
Smithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
Click to see story on My Mother LodeSmithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant – The Morning Sun
Click to see story on Morning SunCompany agrees to pay 2 MDD for child labor allegations at Minnesota plant | Agencies | The Voice of the Interior
Click to see story on La VozCompany agrees to pay 2 MDD for child labor allegations at Minnesota plant
Click to see story on Independent EspañolSmithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant – Regional Media News
Click to see story on regionalmedianews.comSmithfield Foods responds to Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry settlement
Click to see story on nationalhogfarmer.comStraight to your inbox.
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