PERRY, Iowa (AP) – Tyson Foods will continue streamlining its operations by closing its 1,200-employee Iowa pork plant, eliminating the town of Perry's largest employer.
The factory closure is the second major blow to the town this year, coming just two months after a 17-year-old student opened fire at the school, killing a sixth-grader and principal and injuring six others.
Tyson announced the factory closure on Monday. This comes after the company closed several other factories last year and consolidated corporate operations the year before that.
“After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to permanently close our pig facility in Perry, Iowa. We understand the impact this decision will have on our team members and the community,” a Tyson spokesperson said in a statement. Ta.
Mr. Tyson said he would work with state and local officials to help workers who are losing their jobs, but he did not say what kind of retirement benefits he would offer. Tyson said it would encourage employees to apply for openings at other plants.
“This decision was not easy, but it underscores our focus on optimizing operational efficiency to best serve our customers,” a Tyson spokesperson said.
Six years ago, Tyson received a $674,000 incentive from the state of Iowa to pay for a $44 million renovation of its Perry plant.
