Brazilian meat producer BRF SA will put more than 1,000 workers in its Mineiros production plant on leave, Reuters reported March 12, citing the company.
The Mineiros site processes chicken and turkey meat, the report said. About 497 employees on the turkey production line will be placed on 30-day leave, while 623 employees in the chicken production line will be put on 10-day leave.
BRF said the move is not related to the food safety probe that it is currently going through, Reuters reported. The company reportedly said that the decision to grant workers a leave was taken last year as part of the company's "layout changes" plan.
The Mineiros facility has reportedly been banned by Brazil's agricultural ministry from exporting products to countries that require controls for the detection of salmonella spp bacteria. Aside from the Mineiros factory, BRF's plants in the municipalities of Rio Verde and Carambeí are also banned.
Brazil's federal police arrested BRF's former CEO Pedro Faria and former Vice President of Global Operations Hélio dos Santos Júnior based on allegations that executives knew that the company was evading food safety checks.
