9 food processing plants in Vernon face COVID-19 outbreaks

As some of the country plans to reopen, meatpacking workers in Vernon are calling for the closure of the Farmer John food processing plant. That’s where Dodger Dogs are made, among other pork products. More than 150 employees at the plant have gotten sick, making it one of the largest COVID-19 outbreaks in the county. That’s according to the county’s Public Health Department.

“We're talking about people that are standing shoulder to shoulder for eight-hour shifts. And if one person gets it, it's very easy for everybody in the plant to quickly be exposed,” says Harriet Ryan, investigative reporter for the Los Angele Times.

Eight other food processing plants in Vernon are dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks too. Vernon is an industrial city just five miles south of downtown Los Angeles.