More than a year after a deadly Listeria outbreak linked to Boar’s Head deli meats, the company and affected communities continue to grapple with the aftermath. The outbreak, which spanned from May to November 2024, resulted in 10 deaths and over 60 hospitalizations across 19 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) attributed the crisis to “inadequate sanitation practices” at Boar’s Head’s Jarratt, Virginia processing plant, where inspectors found mold, mildew, insects, and structural defects like cracked floors and dripping condensation.
In response, Boar’s Head permanently closed the Jarratt facility in September 2024 and discontinued its liverwurst product line, which was identified as a primary source of contamination. The company also initiated a nationwide recall of 7 million pounds of deli meats, including products under its Boar’s Head and Old Country brands, such as hams, bolognas, and sausages produced between June and July 2024. The recall extended to retail distributors in 18 states and several international markets.
Legal and financial repercussions followed swiftly. Multiple wrongful death and class-action lawsuits were filed against the company, alleging negligence, manufacturing defects, and failure to disclose contamination risks. Leading nationwide law firm Ron Simon & Associates filed the first wrongful death lawsuit in this incident. In a recent development, according to one source, Boar’s Head also agreed to a $3.1 million settlement in a class-action case to compensate consumers who purchased recalled products between May and August 2024.
On the regulatory front, the USDA’s January 2025 report criticized both the company’s sanitation protocols and its own inspection oversight, noting that the Jarratt plant had accumulated 69 violations in the year preceding the outbreak. The agency pledged to enhance inspector training and adopt more rigorous sampling methods for Listeria detection. Boar’s Head, meanwhile, publicly committed to implementing “enhanced food safety programs,” including stronger control procedures and testing at its remaining facilities. The company also emphasized its adherence to Safe Quality Food (SQF) certifications and daily USDA monitoring in its ongoing operations.
In the latest news, Boar’s Head has made plans to reopen the affected Jarratt, Virginia plant. Democratic lawmakers have asked representatives from the company to appear before the Congressional Food Safety Caucus.
For consumers, the CDC continues to advise high-risk groups, pregnant individuals, older adults, and immunocompromised people, to avoid deli meats unless heated to 165°F. Although the outbreak was declared over in November 2024, the case count may underestimate the true scale of infections due to Listeria’s prolonged incubation period and underreporting of mild cases. As Boar’s Head works to rebuild trust, the tragedy underscores the critical importance of sanitation in food production and the far-reaching consequences of its lapse.
