Smithfield's Farmer John meat company based in California is the host of a “Thank You Tour” with the goal of handing out one million free hot dogs to essential workers. This, according to one Latino nonprofit group, disregards the at-risk lives of the meat plant workers. Forward Latino’s vice president and director Joe Enriquez Henry in Des Moines said the tour is a “cruel irony.”
In a Facebook Live event, Henry said "it makes no sense. It’s a slap in the face of science and it’s uncalled for. We do not condone this and we know that many workers and unions would not condone this at this point in time.”
Henry spearheaded the national meat boycott in an attempt to protect meat plant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Meat plants have been known to be hotspots for the virus.
“Workers are dying. Of course animals have been killed in order to serve this unessential food material and this needs to stop," Henry said.
In a press release, Smithfield said the tour is meant to “show appreciation for businesses that have remained open to ensure communities stay safe, healthy, and have access to much-needed resources.”
