Tyson Foods Announces Closure of Three Beef Plants Amid Cattle Shortage

Tyson Foods, one of the world's largest meat processors, has announced plans to close three beef processing facilities and lay off at least 2,500 workers. The closures are a response to heavy losses incurred by the company's beef segment, which reported an operating loss of $138 million recently. Tyson will consolidate its beef operations in Dakota City, Nebraska; Holcomb, Kansas; and Amarillo, Texas. The closure in Joslin, Illinois, will lead to layoffs of around 2,500 union workers, while the number of layoffs at the Eagle Mountain, Utah, facility is yet to be determined. The USDA reports that U.S. cattle herds are at their lowest levels in decades due to climate challenges, tough economics, and a resurgence of the New World screwworm pest.