The U.S. meat industry is continuing to reshape operations as cattle supplies stay tight and beef processors face higher livestock costs. Tyson Foods said on August 13 it will close two facilities and pursue the sale of its beef plant near Pasco, Washington, putting new attention on one of the Tri-Cities area’s longtime food employers. The Washington site is not scheduled for an immediate shutdown, but the company’s announcement adds uncertainty for workers as Tyson reduces its beef footprint.
Tyson confirmed a three-facility restructuring in its beef business
Tyson Foods announced on August 13 that it will end operations at its beef facility in Joslin, Illinois, close its beef and pork case-ready facility in Eagle Mountain, Utah, and pursue the sale of its Pasco, Washington, beef plant, according to the company’s press release filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Reuters reported the restructuring as Tyson moves to shrink its beef network during a prolonged cattle shortage.
The largest confirmed job impact is in Illinois. Tyson’s SEC filing said the Joslin closure affects about 2,500 team members, while Utah outlets, citing the state workforce agency, reported that 723 workers are affected at Eagle Mountain. Tyson has not publicly attached a Washington layoff total to the Pasco sale announcement in the same way it did for the Illinois closure.
Tyson said it plans to keep working with affected employees in Illinois, Utah, and Washington on opportunities at other company locations. Unlike the Joslin and Eagle Mountain sites, the Pasco-area operation is being marketed for sale rather than marked for an immediate end to operations, making its next phase dependent on whether a buyer is found.
The Washington impact centers on Tyson’s Pasco-area facility near Wallula
In Washington, the facility involved is Tyson Fresh Meats’ plant at 13983 Dodd Road in Wallula, just outside Pasco, according to Washington state facility records. Tyson and Reuters both identified the site as the company’s Pasco beef plant, a major processing operation that has long served the broader Tri-Cities economy.
What is confirmed so far is limited but significant. Tyson has said it is pursuing a sale of the Washington plant, not announcing an immediate closure, and Reuters reported that the company will continue helping Washington employees seek openings elsewhere in its network. As of now, there is no public Washington WARN notice cited in the available state database material tied to a mass layoff at the Pasco-area plant.
That means several details remain unconfirmed. Tyson has not released a comprehensive public count of Washington workers who could be affected if a sale does not go through, and it has not announced a buyer, a sale timeline, or a final operating date for the Wallula facility. For residents in Pasco, Wallula, Kennewick, and Richland, the practical reality is that the plant’s future remains tied to the outcome of a potential transaction.
Tyson ties the move to cattle shortages and deepening beef losses
Tyson has consistently pointed to industry conditions in its beef business. Reuters reported on August 13 that the company’s decision was driven by a historic U.S. cattle shortage that has deepened losses for the largest U.S. meatpacker. Earlier in August, Tyson said losses in beef were expected to widen, with a projected adjusted operating loss of $500 million to $650 million for fiscal 2026.
Company filings and earnings materials show the same pattern. Tyson’s quarterly report said its beef segment continues to face limited supplies of market-ready cattle and increased cattle costs, while its 2026 earnings commentary described those conditions as ongoing pressure on results. Those supply constraints have reduced profitability even as other Tyson business units performed better.
For customers and residents in Washington, the immediate takeaway is that Tyson has not said the Pasco-area plant will close now. The company’s stated plan is to pursue a sale while restructuring its broader beef operations, and no public buyer has been announced. Unless that changes, the most factual expectation is continued uncertainty around ownership rather than a confirmed shutdown date for the Washington facility.