Tyson Foods to Shut Eagle Mountain Plant, Affecting Over 700 Utah Employees
Tyson Foods will close its Eagle Mountain beef and pork facility, impacting 723 workers, as part of a broader restructuring of its beef operations amid a national cattle shortage.
Tyson Foods announced Thursday that it will cease operations at its Eagle Mountain, Utah, case-ready beef and pork plant, a facility that opened in 2021 after a $300 million investment. A filing with the Utah Department of Workforce Services indicates that 723 employees will be affected by the closure. The company said the move is part of a larger effort to consolidate its beef business in response to what it described as one of the most historic cattle shortages in the United States.
In addition to the Utah shutdown, Tyson will close its Joslin, Illinois, beef plant and is seeking a buyer for its Pasco, Washington, facility. The firm plans to concentrate beef production at plants in Dakota City, Nebraska; Holcomb, Kansas; and Amarillo, Texas, and will add a second shift at the Amarillo location as cattle supplies improve.
Tyson acknowledged the impact on workers and communities, stating it will assist employees during the transition and help them apply for open positions at other company sites. The Department of Workforce Services filing lists 723 workers at the Eagle Mountain plant who will be affected.