News

Tyson to close Denison, Iowa beef plant

 

Tyson Foods is closing its Denison, Iowa beef plant, citing a lack of available cattle. Tyson says the closure will be permanent and the 400 employees will be able to apply for positions at other company locations. Tyson says it’s offering financial incentives for qualified hourly workers at its Lexington, Nebraska plant.

Gary Mickelson, a spokesman for Tyson Foods says it was a “very, very difficult decision” and was not made lightly, “”This was a very, very difficult decision and not one that was made lightly,” Mickelson said. “It affects the lives of our people, their families, this great community that supported us for so many decades. However, the realty of the beef business is it has changed and we have to continue to change with it to remain successful.”

The plant opened in 1961 as the first Iowa Beef Packers plant. IBP was acquired by Tyson in 2001. Most of the cattle slaughtered at Denison have been purchased from producers who live closer to Dakota City, Nebraska — where Tyson has a beef-packing plant with 4,000 employees.

The Denison plant will continue its by-product rendering operation which employs about 20 people.

Radio Iowa contributed to this story