CHICAGO (Reuters) – Tyson Foods will permanently close a pork plant in Perry, Iowa, the meatpacker said on Monday, eliminating jobs for about 1,200 workers.
The company, which reaped big profits as meat prices soared during the COVID-19 pandemic, has since confronted a decline and slowing demand for some products. Tyson has announced the closures of six U.S. chicken plants in about the past year and also laid off corporate employees.
The pork plant employed about 1,200 people in Perry, which has about 8,200 residents and is located near the state capital Des Moines, Mayor Dirk Cavanaugh said.
“It’s a big blow to the community,” he said by phone. “It’s our largest employer in the area. It’s going to be tough to figure out what to do without them.”
Cavanaugh said the plant is set to close on June 28.
