A beef packing plant in the northern panhandle has said that it would temporarily be closing its doors.

Open Range Beef, in Gordon, made the announcement Tuesday afternoon.

In a statement, the company says the closing is due to the lockdowns on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

"Many of our valued teammates come from there and it has been determined that it would not be prudent to fully operate with such a large portion of our workforce unable to be present," the statement reads.

Two members of the Oglala Sioux tribe tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday.

In response, Oglala Sioux Tribe president Julian Bear Runner issued an executive order issuing a "total lockdown" of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation until 12:00 p.m. Mountain Time on Wednesday.

It only allows for people to leave their homes for medical emergencies or if they're critical service employees going to work.

It is unknown if the measure will be extended or not.

The Open Range Beef statement goes on to say they will operate the fab line with a smaller crew and at significantly slower speed until the cooler is empty before closing.

Open Range Beef says they respect and understand the decision of the Oglala Sioux to go into lockdown and confirm all teammates will be paid in full during this time and welcomed back when they reopen.

"We have and will continue to do all that we can do to keep our members safe," the company said in a statement.

Open Range Beef says none of its employees have tested positive for the coronavirus.