JBS to close meat plants in manufacturing reshuffle

Food Dive reported the development on 2026-06-15. The company plans to lay off at least 2,000 workers as it shutters a Pennsylvania beef processing facility and makes changes at majority-owned Pilgrim’s Pride.

The report places the news in a wider commercial context. JBS USA is set to lay off 2,000 workers as the meat processing giant closes two beef plants and makes other changes to its chicken manufacturing network. The meatpacker is closing a beef processing plant in the Philadelphia suburb of Souderton that will result in approximately 1,500 layoffs, according to a WARN notice.

For the food sector, the practical implications extend beyond the immediate announcement. JBS said production from the shuttered beef plants will be absorbed into other operations across its network. The meat giant did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a separate announcement, JBS-owned Pilgrim's Pride said it would shift some chicken production from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Ellijay, Georgia, where the company is investing $75 million.

Attention now turns to how companies, customers and regulators respond. The changes come as meatpackers struggle with heavy profit losses in beef due to U.S. cattle shortage that has pushed consumer prices to record highs. The shortage has prompted other companies, such as Tyson Foods, to close plants and prioritize chicken and other more profitable segments. JBS reported a $279 million adjusted operating loss for its North American beef operations in the.