Nebraskans lament Tyson decision to close Lexington plant with 3,200 workers

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Nebraska Examiner

By: Cindy Gonzalez - November 21, 2025 5:53 pm

LINCOLN — In a blow to the local economy of Lexington, Nebraska, Tyson Foods announced that it is closing the town’s longtime Tyson beef plant that employed about 3,200 people.

The Arkansas-based Tyson said in a statement that changes were designed to “right-size” its beef business and position it for long-term success.

The Lexington plant is to close on or around Jan. 20. The statement did not elaborate on why the plant in the town of about 11,500 people was targeted.

The company said it also will convert an Amarillo, Texas, beef facility to a single, full-capacity shift and increase production at other company beef facilities. The number of layoffs from that eliminated shift is about 1,700.



Read more: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/21/nebraskans-lament-tyson-decision-to-close-lexington-plant-with-3200-workers/

[Diamond_Dog]

1. Are we winning yet?

[JMCKUSICK]

2. What is it about these companies,

always announcing these massive layoffs or closures right before or during the holidays. Heartless

[IronLionZion]

4. For end of year financial filings

they want to prop up their stock prices by cutting costs. It has happened to me before.

[JMCKUSICK]

11. Jesus

[patphil]

3. 3,200 workers in a town of 11,500 people.

Add in family members, and you could be approaching half of the people who live there. This will turn that town into a major poverty center in the state.
Hopefully Tyson won't strip the plant bare like they did when they closed their Norfolk plant in 2006. At least leave the plant in a condition where the state might find a different company to come in and use it.

[wolfie001]

5. Can't imagine any of those stupid tRUMP voters displaying that fat-fuck's flag nowadays

But we're talking dumb here so.........

[Silent Type]

6. Cattleman's Beef Association says it is because of low cattle numbers. Have no idea if true.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s CEO Colin Woodall provided his reaction to the Oklahoma Farm Report- “NCBA is disappointed by the closure of the beef processing facility in Lexington. Similarly, the reduction in operations at the beef processing plant in Amarillo. This raises concerns about the impact on family farmers and ranchers, but it is the unfortunate result of the industry experiencing excess processing capacity in the face of historically low cattle numbers. We are closely monitoring this situation and are working to ensure the beef supply chain continues to function properly.”

The announcement by Tyson reminds those in the cattle business of the shock that rumbled through the industry a little over a decade ago when we also had tight cattle numbers. The Cargill beef processing plant in Plainview, Texas shut down operations on February 1, 2013, due to tight cattle supplies from prolonged drought, and by 2015 Cargill had put the plant up for sale, leaving it permanently shuttered.

https://www.oklahomafarmreport.com/okfr/2025/11/21/tyson-to-shutter-lexington-nebraska-beef-plant-make-amarillo-a-single-shift-plant/

I know they are going to have to put steaks behind locked glass at today’s prices.

[Kali]

7. the low numbers are true

that is the main cause of high prices.

[Silent Type]

9. +1. Again, I don't know. Is it tariffs or we aren't/weren't producing enough beef here? Or something else?

Probably several reasons. It’s just interesting beyond politics.

[Kali]

15. combo of things

in my area it was massive sell-offs due to drought the last couple years, covid wierdness, and shut down of imported cattle from Mexico because of screw worm flies.

this year is first in my memory that drought sell-off happened with decent prices due to cattle shortage. usually it is a demoralizing glut and low prices when drought causes destocking.

[Silent Type]

17. Thanks. I like beef, but saw 2 steaks other day for $77. Glad I live in an area that produces a lot of chicken.

[Kali]

18. yeah I raise it but can't afford steak retail very often these days, for sure LOL

local safeway has 5/lb top sirloin on sale fairly often. it can be hit or miss but when it is good it is pretty damn good.

[MissouriDem47]

8. The Got What They Voted For

Last edited Sat Nov 22, 2025, 07:20 AM - Edit history (2)

In a quick Google search I found that Lexington, NE is in Dawson County. In in 2024 the country vote was the following

"In the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election, Donald Trump (R) won Dawson County, Nebraska, receiving 6,312 votes (74.3%), while Kamala Harris (D) received 2,090 votes (24.7%).

Losing 3200 jobs in a small town like Lexington NE will probably kill the town. Sad, but they got what they voted for and have no one to blame except themselves.

[Kali]

16. except as usual, the workers are often imigrants who probably did NOT vote for asshole

workers and poor people usually suffer way more and earlier than politically active repukes ever do.

[MissouriDem47]

19. The businesses in that town and those close by

will suffer directly without the paychecks going back into their economy. Without the jobs, those immigrants will leave and only a shell of the town will remain.

[Roy Rolling]

10. Retrain the workers

The beef business is the nutritional equivalent of the fossil fuel industry.

We would all be better off if it were smaller.

Or closed altogether and remove giant corporations from agribusiness and return to family farms where feasible

[Blumancru]

12. US beef consumption peaked in the mid 70s

Beef consumption per capita peaked in the US in 1974. Americans eat about half of what they did then. The odd thing to me is to reduce capacity in a time of higher prices. Cant say I understand economics but it must have something to do with all those cows the illegal immigrants are smuggling over the Bannon Barrier.
Anyway Nebraska, you voted for It, so now you can live with what It does. It has no further use for you, so you are hereby discarded like Its ex wives and lawyers.

[NotHardly]

14. t it must have something to do with all those cows the illegal immigrants are smuggling over the Bannon Barrier.

LOL

[ColoringFool]

13. Lexington NE Is In Dawson County, Which In 2024.....

Voted for Trump/Vance over Harris/Walz, rounding off, 6200 to 2000.

Ya pays yer money, ya takes yer chance.