Tyson to Reopen Kansas Beef Plant Next Month

Tyson will reopen a Kansas beef processing facility next month, following repairs prompted by an August fire that disrupted operations at the facility. This week, Tyson announced repairs at the Holcomb, KS facility are nearly complete, and efforts to resume beef processing are planned for the first week of December.  The company expects the plant to be fully operational by the first week of January.

The fire severely damaged a critical part of the plant containing the hydraulic and electrical systems that support the harvest floor and cooler areas. Reconstruction included completely replacing support beams and the roof, hydraulic piping and pumps, installing over 50,000 feet of new wiring and the reconstruction of all new electrical panel rooms and equipment.

The fire disrupted cattle markets and processing as the facility reduced industry slaughter capacity by six percent. A Department of Agriculture Investigation into beef pricing practices following the fire should wrap up by the end of this year.

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