Smithfield Foods to close US facility, 314 employees impacted

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Smithfield Foods has announced the closure of its ham boning facility in Altoona, Iowa, with plans to consolidate production at other locations to enhance manufacturing efficiency.

The closure will impact 314 employees, who will be offered transition assistance. Smithfield Foods said the company has committed to meeting individually with each affected employee to discuss the transition plan, which includes severance packages, financial incentives to ensure business continuity and potential job opportunities within the company.

Doug Sutton, chief manufacturing officer for Smithfield Foods, said: “We appreciate the good work our Altoona employees have done over the years and are committed to supporting every employee through this transition. We have been successful in retaining many of our people in positions with Smithfield during previous consolidations and will provide information about opportunities at other Smithfield locations.”

The production from the Altoona facility will be consolidated into Smithfield's existing plants in Monmouth, Illinois; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Crete, Nebraska.