Tyson Foods seeks buyers for Wallula plant in major restructuring for beef business
By Dan Thesman on Friday, August 14th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLULA — Tyson Foods is pursuing the sale of its beef processing facility in Wallula as part of a broader corporate restructuring of its beef operations.
The meat processing giant announced Thursday it is streamlining its operational footprint in response to persistent, historic cattle shortages across the United States.
In addition to seeking a buyer for the Wallula plant, Springdale, Arkansas-based Tyson Foods will shut down its beef processing facility in Joslin, Illinois, and a case-ready processing plant in Eagle Mountain, Utah.
Company officials said production capacity from the closed locations will shift to central U.S. plants with room for growth. Tyson plans to anchor its future beef operations around three major processing hubs in Dakota City, Nebraska; Holcomb, Kansas; and Amarillo, Texas. As cattle availability improves, the company plans to restore a second shift at the Amarillo plant.
Tyson cited recent U.S. Department of Agriculture inventory data showing continued declines in heifer retention as a key driver for the decision, indicating that tight cattle supplies will persist for the foreseeable future.
The company stated that total cattle harvesting capacity across its streamlined network will remain at similar overall levels. Tyson did not disclose the number of workers affected by the sale or closures, but said it is committed to helping employees’ transition, including assisting them in applying for open positions at other company locations.
File photo
