Tyson Foods to Close Kansas Meatpacking Plant; 809 Employees to Lose Jobs

“After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close our beef and pork non-harvest processing facility in Emporia, Kansas, to increase the efficiency of our operations,” a spokesperson for Tyson Foods told DTN in a statement.

“We understand the impact of this decision on our team members and the local community. Taking care of our team members is our top priority and we encourage them to apply for other open roles within the company. We are also working closely with state and local officials to provide additional resources to those who are impacted. The state of Kansas is important to Tyson Foods, with employment of more than 5,000 team members across our other Kansas facilities.”

Emporia and Lyons County officials said they are working to help employees in light of the announcement.

The city of Emporia, Lyon County, the Regional Development Association, Emporia Main Street, Emporia Chamber of Commerce, Flint Hills Technical College and Emporia State University, said in a joint statement that, “Tyson has been a valuable corporate partner” and the groups said they are doing all they can to help workers.

“While we recognize the challenges this closure presents, Emporia’s economy remains stable and resilient,” the groups said. “Community leaders will continue to work with key stakeholders at the local, state, and federal level to promote economic growth in Emporia.”

“By working closely with business leaders and stakeholders, we aim to attract and retain strong and diversified industry that will provide growth and prosperity for our residents. Emporia is a resilient community, and we are confident in our collective ability to navigate this transition. Our community is united and committed to building an even stronger future.”

On Nov. 12, 2024, Tyson Foods reported nearly a 1% increase in sales compared to 2023, including a 1.6% increase in sales in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to the same quarter in 2023.

Todd Neeley can be reached at todd.neeley@dtn.com

Follow him on social platform X @DTNeeley

(c) Copyright 2024 DTN, LLC. All rights reserved.