Tyson considers expanding North Carolina poultry plant

Tyson Foods is considering an expansion at its poultry processing plant in Monroe, North Carolina.
According to a report from the Charlotte Observer, Tyson is requiring incentives in order to make such an expansion, and that the Monroe City Council and Union County Commission have approved such packages. The city is offering $110,000 and the county is offering $115,000 in incentives.
Tyson Foods has had a presence in Monroe since 1989.
A spokesman with the company confirmed that Tyson Foods is considering an expansion at its plant in Monroe, but declined to offer any further details.
Ron Mahle, assistant director of Monroe-Union County Economic Development said Tyson is considering other locations for an expansion, but he hopes he will learn Tyson’s decision by the end of December.

Avian influenza’s impact on Tyson Foods: $139 million

The avian influenza outbreak of 2015 had a negative impact on Tyson Foods that amounted to about $139 million, said Donnie Smith, president and CEO of Tyson Foods.
Speaking to shareholders during the company’s quarterly earnings call on November 23, Smith said the outbreak hurt the company in two ways: the outbreak lead to the closing of several export markets for Tyson’s chicken business, and the avian influenza-related losses Tyson faced with its turkey flocks.
When Tyson completed the acquisition of Hillshire Brands in 2014, the company became a major player in the U.S. turkey industry. The company slaughtered 318 million pounds of live turkeys in 2014.
Despite those losses, Tyson Foods still completed a successful fiscal year, reporting that its net income for FY 2015 rose to $1.22 billion from the $864 million net income it reported during fiscal year 2014.

Moving forward after avian influenza

When asked how long he thought the various trade bans on U.S. poultry would remain in place, Smith said it was difficult to tell. Typically, he said, those bans will be lifted 6-9 months after the last positive detection of avian influenza, which in some regions, has already passed. “We haven’t seen many doors open, yet,” said Smith.
However, he also adds that other pending congressional actions on trade-related matters, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) will also play a factor.
Meanwhile, the company is rebuilding its turkey inventory, which will help the sales of Tyson’s deli meat and improve the profits of its Prepared Foods division.
“Our shortage of raw material in turkey has hurt our volume in that business,” Smith said. “Overall, the absence of turkey has hurt our volume. We’re now in a position for after the first of the year, say late January … we’ll be back to full production in our turkey operation after the [avian influenza] problems, and we’ll have the raw material around as we need.”

Tyson Foods net income nearly doubles in fourth quarter

Tyson Foods reported a net income of $258 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2015, nearly doubling the net income of $137 million the company reported during the same quarter of fiscal year 2014.
The company released its quarterly and yearly financial results on November 23.
For the fiscal year, Tyson reported a net income of $1.22 billion, a substantial increase from the net income of $864 million achieved during fiscal year 2014.
Tyson Foods’ financial report for fiscal year 2015 marked the first full fiscal year for the company after its acquisition of Hillshire Brands, which was finalized on August 28, 2014.
"Fiscal 2015 was an important year for Tyson Foods, because it proved that our house of brands gives us the ability to produce record sales and earnings in less than optimum conditions, all while successfully merging two large companies," said Donnie Smith, president and CEO of Tyson Foods.
"Our business model is working. The Prepared Foods segment had a very strong performance in the first full year of Tyson and Hillshire coming together. The Chicken segment had an outstanding year. Pork produced solid results. Beef experienced a tough operating environment most of fiscal 2015, but the other segments more than made up for it.”

Tyson Foods closing two prepared foods plants

Tyson Foods will close two close two of its prepared foods plants – one in Jefferson, Wisconsin, and the other in Chicago, Illinois.
The company, in announcing the upcoming closures on November 19, stated that it is discontinuing operations at the two facilities as a way to improve the overall performance of its prepared foods business. The workload from those plants will be absorbed into other plants within the company that have available production capacity.
Both the pepperoni plant in Jefferson and the Chicago facility, which makes prepared foods for the hospitality industry, are expected to cease operations during the second half of the company's fiscal year 2016, which ends October 1, 2016. The decision will affect approximately 880 people, including about 480 at Chicago and about 400 at Jefferson. None of Tyson Foods' other Chicago facilities or offices will be affected.
"We examined many options before we turned down this road," said Donnie King, president of North American operations for Tyson Foods. "This affects the lives of our team members and their families, making it a very difficult decision. But after long and careful consideration, we've determined we can better serve our customers by shifting production and equipment to more modern and efficient locations."
The planned closures are due to a combination of factors including changing product needs, the age of both facilities and prohibitive cost of renovations, as well as the distance of the Chicago plant from its raw material supply base.
Affected workers will be encouraged to apply for openings within the company. Tyson Foods intends to work with state officials to ensure employees are informed about unemployment benefits and any potential re-training opportunities.
Tyson Foods bought the Chicago plant in 1994. At the time, it was privately owned and made meals exclusively for airlines. Tempura chicken, meatballs, crepes, omelets, soups, sauces and Chicken Cordon Bleu are currently produced there.
The Jefferson facility, which produces sliced pepperoni and ham for pizza toppings, as well as sliced pepperoni and salami for deli and foodservice applications, was part of Tyson Foods' acquisition of IBP in 2001. Founded in 1875 by the Stoppenbach Family, as a beef, pork and lamb processing facility, it was sold in 1934 to the Bauch and Tensfeldt families. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the plant was converted to further processing, concentrating on pepperoni for the pizza industry. The plant was sold to Doskocil Foods in 1985, which later became Foodbrands America and was acquired by IBP in 1997.

Board approves sale of land to Tyson Foods for hatchery

Tyson Foods’ offer to purchase a 10.72-acre parcel of land in Springdale, Arkansas, has been approved by the Springdale Public Facilities Board, which currently owns the property.
The land, located in the city’s technology park, is where Tyson Foods intends to build an incubation center that would serve a large portion of the company’s poultry operations in northwest Arkansas.
According to an ArkansasOnline report, Tyson Foods has agreed to pay $35,000 per acre for the land, which would total $375,200. The entities are expected to close on the transaction in December.
The proposed incubation center would be built with a heavy emphasis on state-of-the-art technology, a Tyson Foods spokesman said.
The potential hatchery facility is expected to replace the operations at the aging hatchery on Randall Wobbe Lane, also in Springdale. No plans have yet been revealed concerning what the company plans to do with the existing hatchery facility.
While the board’s approval of the sale marks progress toward Tyson Foods realizing its plans to build the hatchery, there are other regulatory approvals needed in order to make the project a reality. Tyson Foods has submitted a large-scale development plan for the incubation center to the city, and Springdale’s planning commission is scheduled to consider the plans during its December 1 meeting.

Tyson Foods considers building new Arkansas hatchery

Tyson Foods is considering building a new hatchery in Springdale, Arkansas, which if approved, would serve a large portion of the company’s poultry operations in northwest Arkansas.
Worth Sparkman, a spokesman for Tyson Foods, confirmed on November 6 that the company had filed with the City of Springdale a plan for a large-scale development project, which is intended to be an incubation center. If the proposed project is approved by city officials, the planned facility would be built with an emphasis on state-of-the-art technology. Sparkman added that because the incubation center project is still in the approval stages, the company will wait until it releases further information.
According to a report from the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette, the plans submitted by Tyson Foods would have the incubation center on East Huntsville Avenue, and would replace the operations at the aging hatchery on Randall Wobbe Lane, also in Springdale. No plans have been revealed concerning what the company would do with the existing hatchery.
The land that is being considered for the proposed project is currently owned by the Springdale Public Facilities Board and the property is available for development.
The plan submitted by Tyson Foods will be considered by the Springdale Planning Commission during its meeting scheduled for December 1.

Tyson fires workers over alleged abuse of chickens

Tyson Foods has terminated two employees for violating the company’s animal handling policy at its poultry processing plant near Carthage, Mississippi.
The alleged abuse of chickens at the plant was shown in a video that was released on October 27 by animal rights group Mercy for Animals. Narrated by actress Candice Bergen, the video, which was filmed by a Mercy for Animals investigator who went undercover and gained employment at Tyson, shows scenes of workers mishandling the birds, including throwing them and punching them.
In the video, Bergen explained the “investigator reported the animal abuse to management on many occasions, but observed no corrective actions taken.”
However, according to a statement issued by Tyson Foods, the company has been “investigating a claim of animal mistreatment in this area of the plant since late last week.”
The statement added that the company is “appalled by the actions shown in this video.”
“We believe proper animal handling is an important moral and ethical obligation. Everyone who works with live animals in our plants – including the person who secretly shot this video – is trained in proper animal handling and instructed to immediately report anything they believe is inappropriate. Workers are encouraged to report bad behavior to their supervisor as well as the Tyson Foods compliance and ethics hotline,” the company stated.
Mercy For Animals has stated that it submitted a misdemeanor complaint with Mississippi authorities, but to Tyson’s knowledge, no criminal charges had been filed by any government agency.

Ball Park introduces Flame Grilled Jerky

Tyson’s Ball Park brand has introduced Flame Grilled Jerky, which is dried for toughness and then flame grilled for a uniquely tender texture and excellent char-grilled flavor. Made with lean cuts of beef or pork, the product is gluten-free and a good source of protein with eight grams or more per serving. It contains less sodium than other jerky¹ and no added MSG². Five hardy flavors include Original Beef, Bourbon BBQ Beef, Peppered Beef, Barbecue Pork and Teriyaki Pork.
“Grab Life by the Ball Park” is the theme of a new ad campaign promoting the jerky. Created by Y&R New York, the media celebrates “go for it” and features ultimate tough guy Tommy “Tiny” Lister, retired professional wrestler. A 30-second TV spot depicts Tiny observing a coworker struggling to get a water bottle from a vending machine when his tender side kicks in. After biting into his Ball Park Flame Grilled Jerky, Lister shakes the vending machine to release the water bottle and then delivers it to his teammates’ desk.
Before the product introduction, Ball Park commissioned a survey to uncover some of the tough situations guys face. “We know consumers think jerky can be too tough,” said Timothy Smith, vice president of marketing for the product. “But jerky isn’t the only tough thing in life that needs a little tenderness, so we’re stepping up with tender solutions to some of life’s tough conversations.”
The hilarious questions and survey results can be found here. Guys are invited to tweet their troubles to @BallParkBrand using the hashtag #HelpMeTiny. Tiny will serve up entertaining, tender solutions via custom Twitter ecards.
¹Less than the USDA data for Beef Jerky
² Except for that naturally occurring in the soy sauce and autolyzed yeast extract 

Tyson Foods launches new worker safety program

Tyson Foods’ Health and Safety Department has launched a pilot project designed to improve workplace safety communication, awareness and practices as well as provide more detailed data about safety. The findings of the pilot project, being conducted at nine plants, are expected to provide the groundwork for a company-wide improved safety initiative.
The initiative is being led by Greg Spencer, who was recently appointed to the new position of senior vice president of Health and Safety. Tyson Foods’ health and safety management was previously combined with management of the company’s environmental responsibilities. The company has separated these functions to allow more focus on each area.
“We’re committed to providing a safe work environment, as well as training and skills for our team members to be safe at work,” said Mike Roetzel, group vice president of operation services. “Greg has the expertise and passion to deliver on that commitment.”
Spencer has been with Tyson Foods for 31 years. He has served in a variety of roles, including plant and live operations, and has led a number of poultry and prepared foods business units including his most recent role leading the retail value-added poultry group.
“We care about every person who works with us – that’s why we call each other team members,” Spencer said. “Along with enhancing goals to reduce and eliminate work-related injuries and illnesses, we’ll be continuing efforts to improve workplace health through ergonomics, the science of making the workplace fit the worker. Sometimes we can prevent a repetitive injury by modifying a workspace or providing different tools.”
Tyson Foods’ involvement in ergonomics goes back to the late 1980s, when a program was developed in the company’s beef and pork business.
The company employs 500 health and safety professionals in occupational safety, industrial hygiene, health care, ergonomics, process safety, loss prevention and transportation safety, as well as other specialists who serve in key health and safety roles at corporate and plant levels.
Tyson Foods has extensive safety and health training, programs and policies in place at all of its facilities. Each team member receives detailed safety training and orientation at the beginning of their career. They also receive ongoing training, available in multiple languages, designed to keep them informed of important safety requirements, enhancements and best practices. Many facilities have safety and ergonomic committees, which include the participation of hourly production team members.
Full-time safety managers and occupational health nurses are employed at the majority of Tyson Foods’ facilities. Managers hold regular “line meetings” to address safety related topics with team members, and regular workplace safety and health audits are conducted by facility management teams.
“We’ve always listened to what team members tell us about their experiences, but we’re learning how to give everyone at Tyson Foods a louder voice by encouraging a culture of communication about health and safety,” Spencer said.

Tyson Foods increases wages at poultry plants

Tyson Foods is increasing hourly pay at most of its U.S. chicken plants, company officials announced on October 23. The decision was made in hopes of boosting employee recruiting and retention.
The move, effective November 1, affects hourly production, maintenance and refrigeration workers at 51 of the company’s chicken plants. This includes raising the starting pay for production workers at almost 40 plants to at least $10 an hour. The starting rate at some facilities had previously been in the $8 to $9 range.
This change in the starting rate, along with other increases of varying amounts for experienced production, maintenance and refrigeration workers, means the average hourly pay for those who have been on the job for more than a year will be more than $12 an hour. Top hourly production pay in Tyson Foods’ chicken operations exceeds $16 an hour.
Maintenance and refrigeration workers at the 51 chicken plants will also experience increases of varying amounts. As a result, top pay for some maintenance jobs will reach $23 an hour while the highest pay for certain refrigeration jobs will be $26 an hour.
“We’re increasing pay to remain competitive in the labor markets where we operate and to retain the quality team members we need to keep running successfully,” said Noel White, president of Tyson Foods’ poultry business. “We believe we have the best team in the chicken business and we want to keep it that way.”
Tyson Foods’ compensation department frequently coordinates third-party wage surveys and job market research in the areas where it has facilities. “We offer the highest-paying entry level jobs in many of our plant communities and pay more than most companies in the chicken business,” White said.
In addition to competitive pay, Tyson Foods offers affordable health, life, dental, vision, and prescription drug benefits to its team members and their families, the company stated.
Nearly half of Tyson Foods’ team members in the chicken business have been with the company for five years or more and almost one-quarter of them have been with the company for 20 years or more.

Tyson moving corporate employees to downtown Springdale

Tyson Foods will relocate about 300 of its corporate employees to downtown Springdale, Arkansas, as the company will construct a new office building on the property that housed the company’s original headquarters there. The company is also renovating another nearby building that will be the home to a company store.
John Tyson, chairman of Tyson Foods, announced on October 8 that a new, two-story building will be constructed on property the company owns at 319 E. Emma Avenue and the adjacent building, formerly known as the Brown Hatchery building.
“Downtown Springdale is where we started,” Tyson said. “There’s a rich past here, but also an exciting future – and, we plan to be part of it.”

New Tyson Foods office building

A new two-story, 44,000 square-foot structure will be constructed on the site, between and behind the two older buildings, preserving their original frontage. Workspace for about 250 people will be created by the project, which is scheduled to be completed in 2017. Demolition of several other buildings on Tyson Foods’ property will begin in mid-October.
The announcement comes several months after the company made a $1 million contribution to the Downtown Springdale Alliance.
“While the purpose of that donation was to help jump-start the revitalization of downtown, what’s even more important is bringing people back to Emma street,” Tyson said. “That’s why we have plans to locate more than 300 of our corporate team members downtown.”

History of Tyson Foods and downtown Springdale

The original headquarters building was first constructed around 1920 and was once home to the Springdale Produce Company, owned and operated by John W. Tyson, John Tyson’s grandfather. A fire partially destroyed the building in the early 1950s. It was razed and rebuilt in 1952 and became home to Tyson’s Feed & Hatchery until 1969 when the company, now known as Tyson Foods, moved to its current location.

New home for Tyson Company Store

As previously announced in January, Tyson Foods is also renovating the 28,000 square-foot building located at 516 E. Emma, named the Tyson Foods JTL Building. It will become the new home to the Tyson Company Store, a wholesale outlet where team members and others can purchase Tyson Foods products and a limited selection of staple grocery items. About 75 people will work at the JTL Building beginning in spring 2016.

New Food Industry Technicians Development Program launched

Tyson Foods and West Liberty Foods, as part of the Food Processing Education Consortium (FPEC), announced the creation of the Food Industry Technicians Development Program (FIT) on September 16 at Process Expo 2015.
The FIT program is the first national certification program for service technicians in all segments of the packaging, processing and food manufacturing industry. With 3.5 million currently unfilled middle-skill jobs that do not require a four-year degree in the U.S., the FIT program addresses this critical need for trained service technicians in the food manufacturing industry.
“The FPEC has been working very closely with leading food manufacturing companies in the U.S. to carefully develop a program that directly applies and the positions these companies need to hire,” said Scott Scriven, chairman of the Foundation of the Food Processing Suppliers Association, which founded the FPEC in August 2014, and vice president of the Slicer business unit of Provisur Technologies. “Technicians that receive the FIT certification will have incredible job opportunities in the U.S. food manufacturing industry that include high-end salaries and benefits.”

Scott Scriven announced the new Food Industry Technicians Development Program at Process Expo.
The FIT program, a two-year degree program covering electrical engineering principles, blends academic learning, practical experience and additional training to attract and retain new and current technicians. Through a combination of existing and newly developed courses offered by ITT Technical Institute, taught by a faculty made up of industry professionals, students will be able to graduate with the academic knowledge to meet the specific challenges that food industry technicians experience. Candidates who meet certain work experience criteria but have not yet completed the FIT academic coursework may also continue working while earning the industry certification.
 “I do believe that what we’ve put together here is going to not only be a job for the graduates but also a career – and I think that’s the critical piece of this whole program we’ve put together. It’s not just the technical skills, but it’s marrying the technical skills with the life skills,” said Gerald Lessard, vice president and chief operating officer of West Liberty Foods. 

Gerald Lessard said he has been impressed with the Food Process Educational Consortium's ability to partner with food processors and create a program directly addressing the industry's hiring needs.
The FIT program will cost students nearly $20,000 a year, but the processors and suppliers involved will offer scholarships, paid internships and other opportunities to help offset the expense. Additionally, the first 100 graduates are “guaranteed employment,” according to Scriven.
“Finding skilled service technicians in our industry has been a challenge, which will likely grow as these professionals retire in the next few years,” said Chip Burns, director of Network Optimization at Tyson Foods. “The creation of this program will greatly benefit Tyson and other food processors in the U.S. We are excited about the opportunity to create more jobs in the U.S., which benefits our industry as a whole.”
Initially, the FIT program will launch in the Chicago and Kansas City areas but can expand in the future thanks to ITT’s nearly 130 campuses around the U.S.
Process Expo, the global food equipment and technology show, was held September 15-18 in Chicago.

Tyson continues transition to more branded packaged foods

Tyson Foods, Inc. executives told investors at the Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference this week that the company aspires to be the global innovative leader of food experiences.

"In the coming years, we have our sights set on selling more branded, protein-centric food, than any other company in the world," said Chief Commercial Officer and President, Food Service Tom Hayes. "Our focus is to accelerate profitable growth through best in class brand building and innovation in the fastest growing categories in food."

Whether they're eating at home or away from home, consumers understand the importance of protein as part of a healthy diet, and protein continues to gain momentum, outpacing the growth rate of the total food and beverage category at retail, Hayes said. Tyson Foods' growth will be generated by offering differentiated food experiences rooted in deep consumer and customer insights, he added.

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Dennis Leatherby told investors that Tyson Foods has been and should continue to produce more stable earnings and consistent growth.

"We're still on our journey, and we're well positioned only a year after completing the Hillshire merger," Leatherby said. "Our goal is to average at least 10% annual earnings per share growth over time. Our projected three-year CAGR (compounded annual growth rate) is approximately 17% from fiscal 2012 to 2015."

Challenges in the beef industry have weighed on the company's results this year, Leatherby said, but strong performances by Prepared Foods and Chicken reinforce the strategy of moving more of the product portfolio into value-added, higher-margin categories.

Unsafe conditions at Tyson Foods plant alleged in video

Tyson Foods has been targeted in a video released by the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), which claims that line speeds at a Tyson plant were too fast and created both animal welfare and worker safety issues.
The video was allegedly filmed at Tyson’s plant in Carthage, Texas, by an undercover investigator who gained employment at Tyson Foods. The video contains comments from the investigator about the working conditions at the plant, although her face is shaded and her name is not offered.

Tyson Foods responds to allegations

Officials from Tyson Foods stated the company is still reviewing the video, but added that Tyson Foods is “absolutely committed to proper animal handling and workplace safety.”  The company stated that it operates all plants within the line speed limits set by the federal government, and continuously monitors its facilities to assure workplace safety.
Responding to allegations of improper animal handling, Tyson Foods stated it did not receive any complaints of that nature during the time frame when the video was believed to have been filmed.
“Everyone who works with live animals in our plants – including the person who secretly shot this video – is trained in proper animal handling and instructed to report anything they believe is inappropriate. They can report to their supervisor, the Tyson Foods compliance and ethics hotline and even one of the USDA inspectors who have access to all parts of the plant, including live animal handling areas. During the timeframe we believe this video was shot, we have no record of any employees reporting claims of animal handling violations,” the company stated. “In addition to training, we regularly conduct our own internal animal handling audits in our plants. Our operations are also subject to third party audits.”

Complaints filed against Tyson Foods

ALDF, in a press release, stated it has recently filed three related complaints against Tyson Foods. Those complaints include:

• A complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, claiming unsafe working conditions for employees
• A complaint with the USDA, alleging inhumane handling practices and food safety violations
• A complaint with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, accusing Tyson Foods of overstating the priority it puts on animal welfare in corporate and investor materials

Tyson Foods to donate $50 million to help end hunger

After donating 100 million pounds of food over the past 15 years, Tyson Foods, Inc. is making a new commitment to hunger relief. The company has announced it is pledging $50 million in cash and in-kind donations over the next five years in the fight against hunger, with a special focus on innovative initiatives at the local level.
This commitment builds on Tyson's long partnership with hunger relief organizations, including Share Our Strength, Feeding America, and the Food Research and Action Center.
"We know we can't solve hunger alone," said Donnie Smith, president and CEO of Tyson Foods. "It's the organizations and heroes in communities all over the country who are doing the real work. We're proud to support those who are fighting hunger across the country and shine a spotlight on individuals making a big difference in innovative ways."
As part of its five-year commitment, Tyson will recognize individuals on the frontlines of fighting hunger in their communities, like Lola Stephens-Bell of Austin, TX. In a recent documentary-style film, Tyson follows Lola through her weekly routine: running her restaurant where she also serves free meals out the back door, and closing the restaurant four days a week to drive meals to underserved people in Austin.
"We want to tell the stories of people like Lola, people doing extraordinary things where they live and work," said Smith. "Lola herself has faced hunger and homelessness in the past, and she knows the struggle of feeding a family firsthand. Her hard work helps us realize that hunger faces many of our friends and neighbors, and inspires us to take action."
Meet Lola Stephens-Bell, touching hearts through her soul food: www.TysonHungerRelief.com.
Tyson aims to empower individuals and organizations to better serve the hungry in their communities and further efforts to find innovative approaches and mobilize action to alleviate hunger.

Tyson ends contract with grower accused of abuse

Tyson Foods has terminated its contract with poultry grower T&S Farms after a video circulated by animal rights group Mercy for Animals circulated a video depicting alleged chicken abuse at its farm in Dukedom, Tennessee.
The video shows footage of people clubbing chickens and stabbing them with a pole with a spike attached to the end, as well as breaking birds’ necks by standing on their heads and pulling their bodies. There is no mention of T&S Farms in the video, but Mercy for Animals does identify Tyson Foods and McDonald’s, a restaurant chain that purchases poultry products from Tyson.
“Animal well-being is a priority at our company and we will not tolerate the unacceptable animal treatment shown in this video. We’re especially concerned about the inappropriate methods used to euthanize sick and injured chickens,” Tyson Foods said in a statement.
Tyson Foods’ animal well-being team is investigating the alleged abuse, but the company confirmed it did terminate the farm’s contract based on what is currently known. No chickens are currently on the farm.
Tyson Foods stressed its commitment to animal well-being, and said it does not believe the video accurately depicts the treatment of chickens raised by the thousands of other growers contracted by Tyson Foods.
“Our company has programs and policies in place to protect the health and well-being of all our animals. This includes the Tyson FarmCheck  program that involves third-party auditors who check on the farm for such things as animal access to food and water, human-animal interaction and worker training. We also have veterinary-approved procedures in place for euthanizing sick or injured birds,” the company stated.

Tyson Foods reduces its beef production capacity

Tyson Fresh Meats, a subsidiary of Tyson Foods is reducing its beef production capacity due to a continued lack of available cattle. Effective August 14, Tyson will permanently cease beef operations at its plant in Denison, Iowa, to better align its overall production capacity with current cattle supplies.
"This was a very difficult decision because it affects the lives of our people, their families and a community that has supported this plant for more than 50 years," said Steve Stouffer, president of Tyson Fresh Meats. "However, the realities of the beef business have changed and we must continue to change with it to remain successful.
"The cattle supply is tight and there's an excess of beef production capacity in the region," he said. "We believe the move to cease beef operations at Denison will put the rest of our beef business in a better position for future success."
The by-product rendering system at the Denison plant will continue operations. It will process by-products from other Tyson locations and will employ approximately 20 people.
The 400 workers affected by the end of beef production at Denison are being given an opportunity to apply for jobs at other Tyson locations. The company is offering financial incentives to hourly workers who qualify for production openings at the company's Lexington, Nebraska, beef plant.
Even though they will no longer be on the job, eligible displaced workers will receive 60 days of pay, as required by the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act.
The company will invite state workforce officials to the plant so they can tell affected workers what type of unemployment benefits and retraining opportunities are available.
The Denison beef plant has a long, rich history in the meat industry. It opened in 1961 as the first plant operated by Iowa Beef Packers (IBP), a start-up company that grew to become one of the world's leading beef processors. IBP was acquired by Tyson Foods in 2001 and renamed Tyson Fresh Meats.
Tyson Fresh Meats' other beef plants are located in Amarillo, Texas; Dakota City, Nebraska; Finney County, Kansas; Joslin, Illinois; Lexington, Nebraska and Pasco, Washington.

Tyson donates truckload of chicken to Texas food bank

Tyson Foods has donated a truckload of chicken to the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley to help eliminate hunger in the southern tip of Texas.
The food bank, which is the sixth largest in Texas based on distribution, will distribute the food through various agencies within its service area to help families in need obtain a more balanced and nutritious diet.
“We are grateful for Tyson Foods’ continued support. This donation shows their understanding of the struggle many working families have with hunger,” Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley CEO Terri Drefke said. “Congressman Hinojosa has also been a long-time champion, ensuring thousands of families in the Rio Grande Valley get the assistance they need.”
For nearly 30 years, the food bank has served the food-insecure population of Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy counties. Last year, the food bank distributed a record 35 million pounds of fresh produce and shelf-stable items.
Meat and poultry are nutrient dense foods, according to health experts, and can be especially helpful to people who need more protein, including growing children, pregnant women, the elderly, and anyone undergoing severe stress, disease or disability. According to food banks nationwide, meat is the most requested and least available food. Since 2000, Tyson Foods has donated more than 99 million pounds of protein in the United States.
“The Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley has a long history of providing food for those less fortunate in our community,” said U.S. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa, D-Texas. “The people of the Rio Grande Valley have always had a generous heart and it is proven every day when thousands of people do not go hungry because of the efforts of the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley. I thank everyone with Tyson Foods for their generous contribution that will help feed those who need nourishment. This considerate effort to help stamp out hunger in our community, and communities all over our country, is greatly appreciated.”
Tyson Foods’ “KNOW Hunger” campaign is focused on helping more people understand and join the effort to eliminate hunger in America. The company partners with Feeding America, Share Our Strength and Lift Up America to raise awareness and help feed the hungry across the nation.
“Nearly 60 percent of the individuals who received support last year from the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley were faced with having to choose between receiving medication or medical treatment and buying food,” said Nora Venegas, director of federal government relations for Tyson Foods. “It’s our goal to help alleviate this need by providing protein to those in need but also raising awareness about how important protein is in a diet.”

Tyson Foods teams up with Nature Conservancy

Conserving the waterways of northwest Arkansas and southwest Missouri is the focus of a new collaboration between The Nature Conservancy and Tyson Foods, Inc.
The conservation organization and the company announced plans for an initiative that includes community-based conservation activities and funding for projects designed to help protect rivers and streams in the region. The announcement was made last week as Tyson Foods team members and Nature Conservancy volunteers picked up trash and debris along Spring Creek in Springdale, AR.
Tyson Foods presented a $500,000 check at the event that will go toward conserving water quality in streams and lakes throughout northwest Arkansas and southwest Missouri. The money will help fund stream restoration, reforestation, erosion prevention, unpaved road improvements, watershed research and community engagement in conservation projects throughout the area, including the Kings, Elk and Buffalo Rivers.
Scott Simon, state director for the Arkansas Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, expressed thanks for the donation, saying, “We are very appreciative that Tyson wants to work with The Nature Conservancy. They have been supporting The Nature Conservancy and the conservation work of other organizations for decades. We are particularly excited they have developed this program to fund water quality improvement projects and are looking forward to working together with their employees on some of the most beloved rivers of northwest Arkansas and southwest Missouri.”
Northwest Arkansas and southwest Missouri are home to more 14,000 Tyson Foods team members, eight processing plants, and more than 800 contract farmers. The company also owns seven pre-treatment wastewater facilities in the region.
“Our footprint in this area is significant and along with that comes an important responsibility to conserve our precious natural resources,” said Mike Roetzel, Springdale-native and Tyson Foods’ group vice president of operation services. “This is just one way we hope to protect the quality of life we experience in this beautiful part of the country.”
Tyson Foods has focused on ways to conserve and reuse water in its processing plants over the years. The company formed a Water Council with help from the University of Arkansas in 2013 to understand the current landscape for water management for global operations and to create short-term and long-term plans for water management across the company. Since the council’s creation, Tyson Foods has developed water usage and management metrics and continues to work on other tools to conserve water necessary to ensure food safety.

Tyson investigating allegations of abuse at farm

Tyson Foods is investigating claims of animal abuse at a farm that grows chickens for Tyson, after animal rights group Mercy for Animals circulated a video that was allegedly filmed at that farm.
In its video, Mercy for Animals shows scenes of unhealthy chickens, and it accuses Tyson Foods of improper animal care and handling procedures.
“Animal well-being is a top priority for us,” Tyson Foods said in a statement. “We do not tolerate improper animal treatment and take claims of animal abuse very seriously. We are investigating this matter.
“We have programs and policies in place to protect the health and well-being of all our animals. This includes the Tyson FarmCheck program that involves third-party auditors who check on the farm for such things as animal access to food and water, human-animal interaction and worker training. We’re continually looking for ways to improve how we operate and this includes animal well-being. We’re constantly researching new ways to keep our chickens healthy and safe.”
Tyson Foods and the National Chicken Council (NCC) pointed out that the video was shot at a time when birds at the farm were sick with a respiratory illness, and that illness can lead to higher mortality rates.
“Just like humans, birds get sick.  But it is not indicative of this farm or broilers as a whole,” stated Tom Super, NCC senior vice president of communications.
Tyson Foods added that the illness shown by birds in the video does not pose a threat to food safety.
NCC also expressed concerned about how it appeared that Mercy for Animals was more intent on spreading an anti-agriculture message than trying to prevent chickens from suffering.
“It's unfortunate - and disturbing - that this group, whose goal is to make everyone vegans, sat on the video for more than four months, if they thought abuse was occurring,” Super said.