Tyson Foods Cuts 2,500 Jobs in Joslin; Diageo Files WARN for 305
Two Consumer Staples employers reported workforce reductions Aug. 22–23: Tyson closed its Joslin beef plant affecting 2,500 workers; Diageo filed a WARN for 305 roles.
Tyson Foods and Diageo report layoffs in Consumer Staples on Aug. 22–23, 2026
Tyson Foods, Inc. closed its beef processing plant in Joslin, Illinois, resulting in the loss of 2,500 jobs, according to reporting by WVIK, Quad Cities NPR, KWQC and Yahoo. The company announced the closure on Aug. 13; the plant’s last day was around Aug. 14, and workers and organizers held rallies protesting the shutdown and seeking WARN Act severance and improved compensation, the reports said. The company cited shifts in its beef operations and the closures accompany other facility changes detailed in the reports, including concentrating beef processing at facilities in Dakota City, Nebraska; Holcomb, Kansas; and Amarillo, Texas, and pursuing a sale of a Pasco, Washington facility.
Diageo North America, Inc. filed a WARN notice with state regulators indicating planned workforce reductions affecting 305 employees, per the WARN filing. The Diageo filing lists an effective date of Sept. 30, 2026, in the notice provided to regulators.
Reported layoffs and notices
- Tyson Foods, Inc. — 2,500 employees affected; Joslin, Illinois; closure announced Aug. 13 with plant last day around Aug. 14, per WVIK, Quad Cities NPR, KWQC and Yahoo.
- Diageo North America, Inc. — 305 employees affected; WARN filing with state regulators lists a Sept. 30, 2026 effective date.
These reports are limited to the facts in public reporting and the WARN filing cited above. The Consumer Staples layoffs recorded Aug. 22–23, 2026 total 2,805 employees across the two notices.