Tyson Foods, the nation’s largest meatpacker, has announced plans to close a beef processing plant in Nebraska in early 2026. The company also revealed it will reduce operations to a single shift at a facility in Texas. These decisions come in response to ongoing losses in Tyson’s beef division, which is facing challenges from a historically small U.S. cattle herd. The reduced cattle supply has resulted in lower-than-capacity operations at several beef plants nationwide.
Officials report that the tight cattle numbers are affecting every stage of the beef supply chain, with retail beef prices now averaging 60 cents higher per pound than a year ago. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expected to release its latest biannual cattle inventory report later this month.