Animal rights activists protest outside Patrick Cudahy plant

CUDAHY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A group of protesters gathered outside the Patrick Cudahy plant in Cudahy Wednesday. 

The plant was recently shut down for cleaning after some of the workers tested positive for coronavirus.

The protest was organized by an animal rights activist group. They say places like this are breeding grounds for disease. 

One demonstrator pointed out that the CEO of Patrick Cudahy's parent company says America needs plants like this to keep running.

"That might be the right thing for his multimillion dollar salary, but for the rest of us, the best thing is that we close these needless and devastating plants as soon as possible," said Rachel Golusinski, Direct Action Everywhere organizer. 

Smithfield Foods CEO Kenneth Sullivan told a pork producers trade publication last week that America has an abundance of livestock and it needs plants up and running to convert that abundance into food.