Tyson Foods, in the midst of shifting some of its processed meat operations in Iowa, said it will lay off about 60 workers from its deli meat plant in Cherokee, Iowa, the company firmed in an email statement on Friday, Jan. 17. The staff reduction is effective immediately.
“As part of our ongoing effort to operate efficiently, we’ve shifted some of the production at Cherokee to other facilities... We don’t take this decision lightly and will be working with the affected employees to help them identify other job opportunities within our company – perhaps at Dakota City or Storm Lake,” according to Tyson spokesman Dan Fogelman.
Tyson said the affected workers could be recalled in business conditions improve or other positions open up through normal attrition.
Pork packer margins declined to $1.77 per head, down from $14.74 a month ago, according to the Sterling Pork Profit Tracker. Losses were wider from farrow to finish at an average $7.22 loss per head.
Tyson CEO Donnie Smith said Thursday, (Jan. 16) pork and beef prices are expected to rise higher in 2014, and that will likely mean consumers eat more chicken.
Tyson Foods will report quarterly earnings on Jan. 31.