Tyson Foods to close Emporia facilities, impacting 804 people

By Sam Hartle

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    KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KSHB) — Tyson Foods, one of the largest employers in Emporia, Kansas, notified city officials Monday it plans to close its two facilities in the city by early 2025.

In a filing with state and local officials Monday, the Arkansas-based food company says it will close its lab at 506 Funston St. around Dec. 20, 2024. Its processing plant at 2101 W. 6th St. will close around Feb. 14, 2025.

The company anticipates 804 jobs will be impacted.

“As part of the Company’s business strategy to operate more efficiently, Tyson Foods, Inc. has determined that it must eliminate all jobs at its Emporia, Kansas, plant…” Ernesto Sanchez, Tyson vice president of operations, beef and pork, wrote in a letter addressed to Emporia Mayor Erren Harter, Emporia City Manager Trey Cocking and Shelly Thompson, workforce services director at the Kansas Department of Commerce. “Tyson Foods regrets that team members at both Emporia facilities must be permanently displaced yet hopes to accomplish these closings with the least possible disruption to the lives of the team members, their families and the community.”

The Emporia Gazette spoke to Cocking, who said Tyson officials told city leaders the company was relocating Emporia operations to the facility near Garden City, Kansas, a four-and-a-half-hour drive southwest of Emporia.

A company spokesperson said Tyson was working with employees to find other roles with the company and offer “additional resources” to those impacted.

“The state of Kansas is important to Tyson Foods, with employment of more than 5,000 team members across our other Kansas facilities,” the spokesperson said.

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