JBS USA and Pilgrim's to Achieve Vaccination of One-Third of U.S. Workforce by End of Week

Press Release Mar 15, 2021
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JBS USA today announced that approximately 14,000 of the company’s team members in the US have received a COVID-19 vaccine to date, with an additional 7,000 scheduled for vaccination in the coming week. In total, approximately one-third of the company’s more than 60,000 team members will have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine once vaccination clinics conclude this week. The company has been working closely with state officials, local health departments and union partners to encourage vaccination of the essential workforce producing food for our country.

To date, JBS USA and Pilgrim’s team members have been vaccinated in Beardstown, Ill.; Cactus, Texas; Council Bluffs, Iowa; De Queen, Ark.; Ellijay, Ga.; Grand Island, Neb.; Greeley, Colo.; Guntersville, Ala.; Hyrum, Utah; Lufkin, Texas; Marshalltown, Iowa; Marshville, N.C.; Moorefield, W. Va.; Mount Pleasant, Texas; Nacogdoches, Texas; Ottumwa, Iowa; and Pipestone, Minn. These vaccinations have taken place in a variety of ways, including at large scale and smaller clinics on site at JBS USA and Pilgrim’s facilities, and at offsite health clinics in partnership with local health departments.

“We are pleased to see so many of our essential team members having the opportunity to be vaccinated and choosing to do so,” said Andre Nogueira, chief executive officer, JBS USA.

“While we are making good progress, there is much work left to be done. We thank state Governors and other local officials for prioritizing our workforce and strongly urge our partners in other states to make sure essential food workers are given timely access to the vaccine. They have shown up to work every day to help keep the country fed during the pandemic and deserve to be vaccinated as soon as possible.”

JBS USA and Pilgrim’s assist with vaccination efforts by leveraging company occupational health staff, coordinating logistics, and partnering with third-party health organizations to ensure medical professionals, nurses and resources are available to effectively administer vaccinations.

In January, JBS USA and Pilgrim’s announced a $100 incentive for all team members who choose to be vaccinated, with the goal of encouraging maximum voluntary participation. The companies have also been promoting multi-lingual internal education campaigns to emphasize the safety, efficacy and importance of receiving the vaccine.

“In our large vaccination clinics, we’ve seen participation rates above 75 percent, which we believe shows our internal education efforts are working and our team members want to be vaccinated when given the opportunity,” Nogueira said.

Recently, JBS USA was able to partner with the State of Colorado to vaccinate 4,088 team members from its multiple locations in the state at a vaccination clinic at the company’s Greeley beef facility. Participation among essential workers at the facility exceeded 75 percent.


This week, JBS USA and Pilgrim’s team members are scheduled to be vaccinated in Beardstown, Ill.; Broadway, Va.; Cactus, Texas; Guntersville, Ala.; Lufkin, Texas; Marshville, N.C.; Mayfield, Ky.; Moorefield, W. Va.; Natchitoches, La.; Omaha, Neb.; Plainwell, Mich.; Sanford, N.C.; and Worthington, Minn.

JBS USA and Pilgrim’s maintain regular communication with state and local health departments and healthcare providers to coordinate the most effective means of vaccine delivery at each plant location, and to offer assistance in local vaccination efforts.