Devastating the Backbone of America: More on the recent Tyson plant closures

Tyson Foods is closing several chicken processing facilities across the United States, and we are already starting to see the impact on those producers.

Tyson Foods is closing several chicken processing facilities across the United States, and we are already starting to see the impact on those producers. The Arkansas Farm Bureau takes us to one operation that just found out their contracts are being canceled.

The Tyson plants closing are located in North Little Rock, Arkansas; Corydon, Indiana; Dexter, Missouri; and Noel, Missouri. In a release, Tyson said they plan to move operations to other facilities in less remote areas by the end of 2024.

The Arkansas Farmers Union is committed to helping those impacted by the plant closures.

“We will work with the appropriate state and federal agencies to protect the rights and livelihoods of the farmers who are affected,” says Eddie Todd, the vice president of the group. “This is another situation in which corporate monopolies have devastated the backbone of this great country, that being the American family farmer.”

In addition to the closure of several plants, Tyson also closed two corporate offices in April. Located in Chicago and South Dakota, the sweeping staffing changes eliminated an estimated 15 percent of the company’s senior leadership and 10 percent of its corporate workers.

In March, Tyson also announced they would be shuttering two other plants in Arkansas and Virginia, saying the move to other facilities would increase the company’s overall efficiency— part of their larger goal to reduce operational costs by $1 billion between 2022 and 2024. According to the Associated Press, Tyson pointed to steep inflation on labor, grain, and other inputs as the primary reason for the sweeping layoffs.

Related Stories
FarmHER Debra Lockard joined us Friday on the Market Day Report to discuss her upcoming show episode, which premieres on Tuesday, October 1 at 9:00 PM ET, only on RFD-TV!
Premieres Tue, 10/1/24 – 9 PM ET | 8 PM CT | 7 PM MT | 6 PM PT
FarmHER Janet Dennison joins us live on the Market Day Report for an interview before her new episode premiere on Tuesday.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Cattle producers recently promoted U.S. beef on a trip to Japan and Korea with the U.S. Meat Export Federation.
After years of drought, farmers across U.S. farm country are getting so much rainfall that it’s dampening their spring planting progress later into the season.
According to USDA experts, Brazil and Argentina’s large drop in corn production has more to do with the economics of corn markets than impacts from weather.
According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, no part of Iowa is experiencing extreme levels of drought for the first time in nearly two years.
Agriculture Shows
From soil to harvest. Top Crop is an all-new series about four of the best farmers in the world—Dan Luepkes, of Oregan, Illinois; Cory Atley, of Cedarville, Ohio; Shelby Fite, of Jackson Center, Ohio; Russell Hedrick, of Hickory, North Carolina—reveals what it takes for them to make a profitable crop. It all starts with good soil, patience, and a strong planter setup.
Champions of Rural America is a half-hour dive into the legislative priorities for Rural America. Join us as we interview members of the Congressional Western Caucus to learn about efforts in Washington to preserve agriculture and tackles the most important topics in the ag industry on Champions of Rural America!
Farm Traveler is for people who want to connect with their food and those who grow it. Thanks to direct-to-consumer businesses, agritourism, and social media, it’s now easier than ever to learn how our food is made and support local farmers. Here on the Farm Traveler, we want to connect you with businesses offering direct-to-consumer products you can try at home, agritourism sites you can visit with your family, and exciting new technologies that are changing how your food is being grown.
Featuring members of Congress, federal and state officials, ag and food leaders, farmers, and roundtable panelists for debates and discussions.
Host Ben Bailey hops in the tractor cab, giving farmers 10 minutes to answer as many questions and grab as much cash as they can for their local FFA chapter.