In response to a request for inspections and enforcement records made by the Associated Press, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) shared that it is pursuing a criminal investigation against Boar’s Head due to the fatal listeriosis outbreak caused by negligent production practices at the company’s Jarratt, Virginia facility.

According to the Associated Press, when the media organization submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to USDA for records of the agency’s enforcement and inspection actions conducted at the Jarratt production plant, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) officials denied the request on the grounds that the “dozens of pages of documentation” are being used for “a law enforcement purpose, which includes both civil and criminal statutes,” and that releasing such records could “interfere with” and “hinder” the investigation.

A large-scale recall of Boar’s Head products was issued in July 2024 after dozens of people across the U.S. were infected with Listeria monocytogenes linked to consumption of the brand’s ready-to-eat (RTE) deli products. As of September 25, ten people have died and 59 people have been sickened in association with this outbreak.

Uncovered USDA-FSIS inspection reports revealed a history of serious food safety noncompliances that took place at Boar’s Head Jarratt, Virginia plant, where the products responsible for the outbreak were made. Documentation dating back to January 2022 showed repeated instances of meat build-up and residues on food contact surfaces, mold, insects, improperly stored product, dripping condensation, and other hygiene issues that the company failed to rectify.

In September, Boar’s Head announced it would be closing the Jarratt, Virginia facility indefinitely.