The world’s largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef, and pork Tyson Foods Inc. is consolidating its beef plants in the Pacific Northwest as part of a plan to operate its fresh meats business more efficiently.

Effective October 16, Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc., a subsidiary of Tyson Foods, will permanently close its beef slaughter plant in Boise, Idaho, and reduce processing operations at its Pasco, Washington, complex. The Pasco plant normally operates one shift of beef slaughter and two shifts of beef processing. After October 16, Pasco will no longer be receiving beef carcasses from Boise and will operate only one processing shift rather than two.

The closing of the Boise plant means the elimination of beef slaughter capacity of 1,600 cattle per day or approximately 470,000 cattle a year. It also results in the elimination of all 270 jobs at Boise and approximately 500 positions at Pasco. This will reduce the total workforce at Pasco to approximately 1,200.

Company officials expect the closing of the Boise plant to increase Pasco’s beef slaughter capacity utilisation by four to five per cent.