MINNEAPOLIS — Smithfield Foods, a leading player in the American meat processing industry, has reached a settlement of $2 million to address accusations surrounding child labor infractions at one of its facilities in Minnesota. This announcement was made by state officials on Thursday.
An inquiry conducted by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry revealed that Smithfield Packaged Meats employed a total of 11 minors, aged between 14 and 17, at its St. James plant from April 2021 to April 2023. It was reported that three of these individuals began their employment at the age of 14. Allegations suggest that nine of the minors worked beyond permitted hours and that all 11 engaged in potentially hazardous tasks.
As a part of the resolution, Smithfield has committed to implement measures to ensure adherence to child labor regulations in the future. Under U.S. law, employing individuals under 18 in meat processing facilities is prohibited due to the associated risks involved.
State Labor Commissioner Nicole Blissenbach emphasized that this agreement sends a powerful signal to all employers, particularly those in the meat processing sector, regarding the non-tolerance of child labor infractions in Minnesota.
Smithfield, headquartered in Virginia, stated that it denies knowingly hiring anyone under the age of 18 for employment at the St. James location and asserted that the settlement did not include an admission of liability. The company explained that all minors had passed through the federal E-Verify system using fraudulent identification. Smithfield reiterated its commitment to enforcing its policy that prohibits the employment of minors.
The corporation affirmed, “Smithfield is dedicated to fostering a secure workplace and adhering to all relevant labor laws and requirements. We strongly believe that individuals under 18 should not occupy roles in meatpacking or processing environments.”
According to the Minnesota agency, the $2 million penalty marks the largest penalty it has collected in an enforcement case concerning child labor and is among the more substantial recent settlements regarding child labor issues across the nation. This resolution comes after a $300,000 settlement last year with Tony Downs Food Co., which was found to have employed children as young as 13 at its Madelia facility.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of Labor imposed over $1.5 million in penalties against Packers Sanitation Services Inc. for employing more than 100 children in perilous roles across 13 meatpacking plants nationwide.
Following that investigation, the Biden administration called upon U.S. meat processors to ensure they refrain from unlawfully hiring minors for hazardous positions. This request, made by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to the largest meat and poultry producers, was part of a larger initiative to combat child labor. The Department of Labor subsequently reported a 69% rise since 2018 in the illegal employment of minors in the United States.
In other recent cases, Mar-Jac Poultry, a processing facility in Mississippi, agreed to a $165,000 settlement with the U.S. Department of Labor in August after the tragic death of a 16-year-old boy. Furthermore, Fayette Janitorial Service LLC, a Tennessee-based sanitation firm, settled for nearly $650,000 in May 2023 after a federal probe uncovered that it illegally hired numerous minors to perform cleaning tasks in hazardous meat processing plants located in Iowa and Virginia.