Meatpacking plants closed at an unprecedented rate this year, accelerated by a number of factors such as rising livestock costs, workforce shortages, food safety violations and foodborne illnesses, and ongoing industry consolidation.
These challenges, exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, have persisted, leading to at least 15 plant shutdowns each in this year and last—the highest number in a decade, according to an Investigate Midwest review of Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) layoff data and industry reports.
Tyson Foods, the country’s largest poultry processor, led the trend with some of the largest layoffs this year and last. Numerous chicken processing plants shuttered last year and it was recently announced that beef operation closures in Kansas will leave more than 800 workers jobless.
These plant closures left contract growers who raised chickens for the company millions of dollars in debt and prompted antitrust investigations and lawsuits.
Boar’s Head, a deli-meat processor headquartered in Florida, closed its Jarratt, Virginia plant and laid off 600 workers after a nationwide outbreak of listeria was linked to the plant. Ten people have reportedly died after eating the company’s liverwurst product, which has since been discontinued.
In early December, Butterball, one of the nation’s largest turkey processors, announced it was closing a Jonesboro, Arkansas plant, laying off roughly 180 workers.
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