U.S. Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas expressed deep disappointment over Tyson Foods’ decision to permanently close its meat processing plant in Emporia, which currently employs over 800 people. Tyson announced that it would shut down its ground beef and value-added marinated protein plant by February 2025 as part of a broader strategy to enhance operational efficiency. This move follows a series of closures by the company since 2023.
The closure comes amidst financial challenges for Tyson’s beef unit. In the fiscal year ending September 2023, the unit reported a profit of $233 million, but in the following year, it faced a significant loss of $291 million. This downturn in profits has contributed to the company’s decision to consolidate operations.
Senator Marshall, who is a member of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee, expressed his concern over the impact of the closure on the Emporia community, particularly during the holiday season. He stated that the news was heartbreaking for the families affected by the job losses and the town itself. Marshall highlighted that the Tyson plant was one of the largest employers in the region, and his office had already been in communication with the City of Emporia to offer assistance in helping displaced workers find new job opportunities.
Tyson Foods, which employs over 5,000 people across several Kansas plants, triggered the formal notification of the Emporia closure by filing a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notice with the state. The company’s Vice President of Beef and Pork Operations, Ernesto Sanchez, sent a letter to Emporia officials explaining that the closure was part of Tyson’s business strategy to streamline operations and increase efficiency.
The company acknowledged that the closure would have a significant effect on the Emporia community and its workforce. Tyson officials noted that up to 200 employees from the Emporia plant might be transferred to the company’s facility in Holcomb. In an effort to support affected workers, Tyson Foods emphasized that it would prioritize assisting them in finding new roles within the company, as well as collaborating with local and state officials to provide additional resources for those impacted.
Tyson Foods has been grappling with several market forces, including a declining fed cattle population and higher livestock costs for processing, which have contributed to its financial difficulties. The company has made it clear that the closure is not related to any political promises, including those made by President-elect Donald Trump regarding immigration policies.
The loss of 800 jobs in Emporia follows a troubling trend of workforce reductions at Tyson. Since early 2023, the company has laid off thousands of workers due to the closure of six U.S. chicken plants and a pork plant in Iowa. Additionally, Tyson Foods had previously faced public backlash in Kansas when, in 2017, Governor Sam Brownback and local officials in Leavenworth County announced a $320 million investment deal for a new chicken processing plant near Tonganoxie. However, the project was abandoned after strong opposition from the public.
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