The Daily One Meat Plant. One Thousand Infections.
May 4, 2020
In this thought-provoking discussion, Caitlin Dickerson, an immigration reporter for The New York Times, interviews Achut Deng, a Sudanese refugee and essential worker at a South Dakota pork plant. Achut shares her harrowing journey from war-torn Sudan to facing new challenges in America during the pandemic. They explore the severe COVID-19 outbreak at the Smithfield plant, revealing the health risks and job insecurities faced by immigrant workers, highlighting their resilience in such trying times.
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Achut's Early Life
- Achut Deng, a Smithfield worker, was orphaned at six during the Sudanese civil war.
- She lived in refugee camps, where her school was under a tree, and faced hardship, including lack of food and water.
Joining Smithfield
- Achut moved to Sioux Falls for personal reasons and needed a job to support her family.
- She started working at Smithfield as a wizard knife operator, trimming fat from pork loins.
Smithfield's Scale
- Smithfield processes over 10,000 pigs daily, contributing to 4-5% of U.S. pork production.
- The plant handles the entire process from live hogs to various pork products like bacon and hot dogs.
