Two major beef production companies announced closures at beef facilities to take place in 2026 in the headwinds of lower cattle supplies.
JBS announced on Dec. 12 it will shut down operations at a California beef production plant amid low cattle supplies. The closure is scheduled to take place Feb. 2.
The Swift Beef Company facility in Riverside, California, employs 374 workers, according to state Employment Development Department records reported by Reuters. The facility processes beef sold in grocery stores but does no slaughter. JBS is the largest beef slaughter company in the world.
A company statement denied that the closure is due to low cattle supplies but was “part of a strategic initiative to optimize its value-added and case-ready business and simplify operations across its network.” The company said workers could be reassigned to other JBS facilities.
Tyson Foods announced Nov. 21 its plans to close its Lexington, Nebraska, slaughter plant this coming January, which will affect its 3,200 employees that currently slaughter 5,000 cattle per day. Tyson also will reduce staffing at a beef processing plant in Amarillo, Texas, which employs 1,700 workers and can slaughter 6,000 head per day.
"Tyson's announcement will have a devastating impact," said U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska). "It's no secret that just a few years ago, packers like Tyson were making windfall profits while the rest of the industry was continuously in the red."
