A St. James meat-processing plant not far from similar southern Minnesota plants owned by companies penalized last year for violating child labor laws has been fined $2 million for allegedly illegally employing teenagers in dangerous, late-night jobs.

According to allegations disclosed by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry on Thursday, the Smithfield plant employed 11 minors between the ages of 14 and 17, often working into the evening and overnight with hazardous machinery, meat grinders and near chemicals, in violation of state child labor laws.

Smithfield Packaging Meats Corp., a subsidiary of Virginia-based Smithfield Foods, did not agree with the allegations, which are contained in a consent order filed with the Watonwan County courthouse. Nevertheless, the company will pay $2 million in an administrative penalty in terms disclosed by a consent order with the MDLI. The state agency conducted a two-year investigation into Smithfield's St. James plant. According to the consent order, Smithfield cooperated with the investigation.

"It is unacceptable for a company to employ minor children to perform hazardous work late at night," said MDLI Commissioner Nicole Blissenbach, in a prepared statement. "This illegal behavior impacts children's health, safety and well-being and their ability to focus on their education and their future."

In a statement, Smithfield Foods reiterated that the company is paying a fine to avoid prolonged litigation.

"We wholeheartedly agree that individuals under the age of 18 have no place working in meatpacking or processing facilities," the company said.

According to a statement from Smithfield, each of the 11 employees passed the E-Verify system by using false identification. With an increase in identity fraud, Smithfield says it is taking "proactive steps" to further enforce a policy prohibiting the employment of minors.

The state said the $2 million payment was the largest in state history. Earlier this year the Legislature passed amendments to the state child labor law to raise the penalty for putting children to work in the meatpacking industry. An MDLI spokesman noted the changes went into effect after the alleged illegal labor incidents occurred.

The region has been rocked over successive years with allegations of child labor in the all-important meat-packaging industry. In 2023, Downs Food Group — which operates a plant in Madelia — paid $300,000 to settle child labor allegations brought in Watonwan County court. The company disputed those charges.

According to the state's terms, Smithfield will also put on a 30-minute presentation at an industry event to communicate the importance of child labor compliance. Smithfield is owned by Hong-Kong-based WH Group, the largest pork company in the world.

St. James, a city of 4,793 in south-central Minnesota, has long been a food-processing hub, attracting a sizable immigrant population, including many Hispanic residents, to work in the plants. In 2022, the city website noted Smithfield expanded a parking lot to add 140 jobs as it added three production lines.