Nebraska Gov.: Tyson Could Convert Lexington to Value-Added Facility

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen told the Nebraska Examiner in an exclusive interview that Tyson Foods was looking into the possibility of turning the Lexington, Neb., beef processing facility into some sort of value-added processing plant after it shuts down, rather than closing the facility outright.

As of now, the plant, which employs some 3,200 workers, is slated to shut down around Jan. 20, 2026, the report noted. It was converted to a beef plant (from a farm implement manufacturing facility) in 1990 by IBP, which was acquired by Tyson in 2001.

However, Pillen and other state officials have been scrambling to develop a less impactful outcome for the facility, after Tyson announced just four days ago (Nov. 21) that it would close.

Pillen said Tyson could renovate and reopen the facility to further-process beef, pork or chicken, even though the plant is currently set up for beef processing, calling it “a real-life possibility.”

He also told the Examiner that he “has been privy to conversations” about the new Sustainable Beef plant in North Platte, Neb., possibly adding a second shift earlier than anticipated and hiring more of the Tyson Lexington workers. He told the publication that Sustainable Beef has already hired many of its initial 800 workers, with “a chunk” of them from Lexington.

Pillen’s family owns a hog and hog-genetics operation in Columbus, Neb., and also owns a “significant stake” in a pork plant in Fremont, Neb., the Examiner article noted. He added that his family has done business for a long time with Tyson’s Madison facility.