University of Nebraska-Lincoln Report Outlines Nebraska Financial Hit from Tyson Plant Exit
January 7, 2026 | 1 min to read
LINCOLN, Neb. – With Tyson Foods weeks away from shuttering its Lexington beef plant, the anticipated financial blow to the state is becoming clearer. Meanwhile, some workers have made strides to adjust.
The statewide economic loss, including both direct and ripple effects, is estimated at $3.28 billion a year, according to a recently released University of Nebraska-Lincoln analysis.
While public documents reported that a “mass layoff” of 3,212 Tyson workers will occur “on or around” Jan. 20, the UNL study projects more than 7,000 jobs will be lost statewide, along with an annual labor income loss of $530 million. That higher job loss count includes employees in other industries that support the Tyson beef plant operation and its workforce.
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