Tyson to Close Another Processing Plant

Tyson Foods is shuttering its pork plant in Perry, IA that employs 1,200 people, Associated Press along with several local news agencies reported.

The meat processor announced the plant closure Monday. It comes after the company closed several other plants in 2022 and 2023 due to streamlining operations.

“After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to permanently close our Perry, Iowa, pork facility,” a Tyson spokesperson said. “We understand the impact of this decision on our team members and the local community.”

Tyson Foods is the largest employer in Perry. And the town is still reeling from the January 2024 mass shooting at Perry High School, where
a 17-year-old student shot five students and three staff members before killing himself. Two victims died.

The company said in a statement it will work with state and local officials to help workers who are losing their jobs, but the company didn’t say what severance packages it will offer. Tyson did say it will encourage workers to apply for openings at its other plants.

In 2023, Tyson closed a number of plants, including in its headquarter state of Arkansas (2), Missouri (2 plants), Indiana, Florida, South Carolina, and Virginia in 2023. It also laid off employees at its Wilkesboro, NC, plant.

The company also cut corporate staff by 10% in April 2023 and shut down 2 corporate offices in Illinois and South Dakota.

Tyson launched a plan in fiscal 2022 where it targeted $1 billion in productivity savings by the end of fiscal 2024. The company said that it realized more than $700 million of savings in fiscal 2022, which partially offset the impacts of inflationary market conditions, reported U.S. News & World Report. Tyson topped its $1 billion target in the second quarter of fiscal 2023, more than a year ahead of its plan.