Tyson Foods to close Kansas meat plant
USA – Tyson Foods, the renonwed meat processing heavyweight, has announced it will permanently close its beef and pork processing plant in Emporia, Kansas, affecting 804 workers.
The closure is set to take place around February 14, 2025, according to a notification the company sent to the Kansas Department of Commerce.
An additional five employees from a related laboratory will lose their jobs on January 31.
This decision marks another reduction in Tyson’s operations, as the company struggles with challenges in its largest revenue-generating segment, beef production.
They have shuttered six chicken plants and a pork facility in Iowa since early 2023, eliminating thousands of jobs.
The Emporia facility, located in a city of approximately 24,000 residents, produced items such as marinated meats and ground beef.
The company ceased cattle slaughtering at the plant in 2008 during a period of limited livestock supplies.
The company cited operational efficiency as the reason for the current closure, stating it is part of a broader strategy.
In a separate statement, Tyson said it is working with local and state officials to provide resources for affected employees.
The company also encouraged workers to seek other positions within Tyson.
Tyson’s beef division, which recorded revenue of US$20.5 billion in fiscal year 2024, reported a 1.6% increase in production volumes and a 6% revenue growth compared to the previous year.
However, the segment reported an adjusted operating loss of US$291 million in 2024, a sharp decline from the US$233 million profit in 2023.
Persistent drought conditions have contributed to a dwindling cattle supply, further straining the division’s profitability.
Tyson projects the beef segment will incur further operating losses ranging from US$200 million to US$400 million in fiscal year 2025.
During a November 12 conference call, Brady Stewart, Tyson’s chief supply chain officer and president of its beef and pork division, described the current market conditions as among the most challenging the industry has faced.
The Arkansas-based company has indicated that it expects ongoing difficulties for its beef business due to external factors, including unfavorable weather conditions impacting cattle availability.
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