BPI CLOSING THREE PLANTS

Beef Products Incorporated announced Monday they are shutting down their plants in Amarillo, Texas; Garden City, Kansas; and Waterloo, Iowa.

Operations at those plants had been suspended with employees on paid leave since BPI had lost much of their business over a national and social media reports  questioning their lean finely textured beef.

Company spokesman Rich Jochum says while BPI hoped to resume operation at those plants, that is not going to be possible in the immediate future and the temporary suspension of operations will in fact result in the elimination of those jobs effective May 25th.

650 employees are affected at those locations. BPI will continue to operate its South Sioux City, Nebraska facility at reduced capacity. 

Jochum says the company intends to continue operations there and expand production here as the market activity allows. 

He says BPI will continue to stand by their lean beef as 100% wholesome, safe and nutritious, and continue to defend the company against the mischaracterizations and irresponsible misrepresentations that led  to these actions.