Late on Wednesday, Smithfield Foods Inc, the world’s biggest pork processor said, it will restart its Sioux Falls, South Dakota plant from May 7. The plant has been idling for more than three weeks because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Smithfield said, it will adopt a phased approach to resuming its operations at the plant, and expects it to be fully operational by late May.

Earlier this week, the union representing employees at the South Dakota facility said, Smithfield had resumed limited operations at the plant.

Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump had ordered meat processing plants to stay open in order to protect the food security of the United States, drawing a backlash from unions that said, workers at risk of catching COVID-19 require enhanced protection.

On Wednesday, Tyson Fresh Meats, the beef and pork subsidiary of Tyson Foods, had said, production would resume this week at its Iowa plant after an indefinite suspension of operations since April 22.

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