Tyson Foods is closing its massive beef plant in Lexington, Nebraska, a facility that employs about 3,200 people—aka one-third of the town and probably half the Friday night crowd at the local Applebee’s. The official reason? Cattle supplies are at their lowest since Harry Truman was in office. Years of drought left pastures fried, herds shriveled, and ranchers unable to do much except say “well, damn.”
The company is also scaling back its Amarillo, Texas plant to a single shift, affecting another 1,700 workers. But don’t worry—Tyson assures us they “recognize the impact.” Which is corporate PR speak for “thoughts and prayers, but also we’re out.”
Meanwhile, beef prices are breaking records, ranchers are angry, and Trump—never one to miss a chance to blame someone—has accused meatpackers of price manipulation while simultaneously boosting beef imports from places like Argentina and Brazil. Yes, nothing says “support American ranchers” like removing tariffs on Brazilian beef and flooding the market just as domestic producers finally start restocking their herds.
The Lexington closure is expected to gut the local economy and leave nearby feedyards scrambling. Tyson’s beef division, once rolling in pandemic-era profits, is now claiming hundreds of millions in losses and expects even more next year. Translation: When profits are high, they pocket it; when losses hit, entire towns take the fall. Classic.
At this point, with ranchers furious, plants closing, and imports rising, you have to wonder: how many times can voters get kicked by the same boot before they stop polishing it?
https://www.kcbd.com/2025/11/21/tyson-foods-amarillo-location-notifies-workers-mass-layoffs/
https://www.reuters.com/business/tyson-foods-close-us-beef-plant-cattle-supplies-dwindle-2025-11-21/
