As part of ongoing efforts to increase efficiencies of its poultry business in Georgia, Tyson Foods Inc. plans to discontinue operations at its Buena Vista, Ga. poultry plant at the end of May. In addition, the company will no longer run a third shift at its Dawson, Ga. location as of April 10. 

These decisions will affect approximately 190 people who work at the Buena Vista location and about 70 people at the Dawson location. The planned Buena Vista closure is due to a combination of factors including changing product needs, the age of the facility and the prohibitive cost of its renovation.

“Because these changes affect our team members and their families, it was a very tough decision,” said Noel White, president of Poultry for Tyson Foods. “Our business needs have changed in southern Georgia, so after a great deal of consideration, we’ve decided to take these steps in order to best serve our customers.”

In January, the company announced that it is making a significant investment in its Vienna, Ga. location and changing the focus of its production. The expansion project in Vienna will add more than 700 jobs when it’s completed mid-year.   

Tyson Foods intends to work with state officials to ensure affected employees are informed about unemployment benefits and any potential re-training opportunities.

Source: Tyson Foods Inc.