Lexington's Tyson Foods plant set to shutter on Tuesday
- Media Logic Radio
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 6:46 AM CST Jan 20, 2026 | John Grinvalds | KETV 7 Omaha
LEXINGTON, Neb. —Lexington faces a major economic turning point this week as its largest employer, a Tyson Foods meatpacking plant, prepares to close Tuesday, Jan. 20.
The closure, announced months ago, will leave more than 3,000 workers without jobs and has cast uncertainty over the future of the Dawson County city.
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For many residents, the date has loomed like storm clouds.
"They feel like their life is over," said Ramon Prado, a Lexington business owner, in a November interview.
Last Wednesday, Gov. Jim Pillen shed light on the continuing communication between state leaders and representatives of Tyson as the shutdown approaches.
"I'm obviously working with them," Pillen said. "I'm not beating the soup out of them every day, because they have 8,000 other Nebraskans employed in this state."
Pillen also dismissed rumors that the plant will be sullied.
"When people are talking about they're going to destroy the plant, fill it in with concrete and all that stuff, that's hogwash," he said.
State Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner said the ripple effects extend well beyond the workforce.
"When you look at the repercussions of that closing, you have to be very thoughtful about rural health," Ibach said. "How is it going to affect education? How is it going to affect state sales tax and income taxes?"
Ibach said Tyson is expected to keep about 100 employees at the Lexington facility for now, but the rest of the workforce will be laid off starting Tuesday.
"Waiting for Tyson to make their decision is, at times, agonizing," she said.
There is still no clear sign of whether Tyson will sell the plant or allow another operator to use the facility. Pillen said the company is evaluating options.
"They are working and assessing if they can turn it into a case-ready meat plant," Pillen said. "I'm trying to tell a publicly traded company how they're going to sell their plant when I want them to. So it takes, you know, takes a lot of needle-threading."
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