In August 2023, a South Carolina poultry processing facility faced a potential crisis when a former employee allegedly manipulated its chemical cleaning systems, raising questions about cybersecurity and insider threats in the food supply chain.
The incident, now under federal scrutiny, underscores the fragility of automated food processing and the need for stronger safeguards to protect public health.
William Jason Taylor, a 51-year-old Spartanburg resident, pleaded not guilty on April 30 this year in a Columbia, SC, federal courtroom to charges of unauthorized computer access. Prosecutors allege that Taylor, a former technician at a cleaning services company referred to as “Company C” in court documents illegally accessed the chemical dosing systems of a Sumter-based poultry plant referred to as “Company P” over six days in August 2023. According to court documents reported by The State, Taylor altered levels of peracetic acid and sodium hydroxide — chemicals critical for sanitizing poultry but hazardous if mishandled — while disabling safety alarms and redirecting notification emails to mask his actions…