Coronavirus: NI pig plant hit by cluster of Covid cases reopens after deep clean

Cranswick in Cullybackey, which processes pigs, shut for a deep clean and for the testing of staff last month.

At the time Health Minister Robin Swann said 35 cases had been identified at the plant which has 500 workers.

Now, the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has said that the site is once again open.

UFU president Victor Chestnutt said, “It is positive news that Cranswick has reopened and it will be well received among our pig producers.

“The UFU committed a lot of time and resources to minimise the impact of Cranswick’s closure hosting discussions with ministers, officials and pig processors, to get the factory up and running again as soon as it became a safe environment for staff and farmers to return to.

“The safety of everyone remained a priority while we worked to ensure that the pig trade was not disrupted and farmers were not left struggling to house pigs for lengthier periods than initially planned.

“We want to thank the processors for working together, helping us to get to this stage. We encourage them to continue working together in such an effective manner, maximising the throughput of pigs and alleviating any backlog which may have been starting to occur on farms.”