Tyson Kansas plant to end cattle slaughter Feb. 13

[UpInArms]

Source: Reuters

RENO, Feb. 6 (Reuters) - Cattle slaughter will end Feb. 13 at Tyson Foods Inc.'s (TSN.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Emporia, Kansas, beef plant and beef processing will end two days later, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

In all 1,700 to 1,800 jobs will be eliminated. Originally, the company had said 1,500 jobs would be cut, but after additional analysis an additional 200 to 300 positions will be eliminated, Tyson said on Wednesday.

<snip>

Value-added beef production will start there on Feb. 20.

The restructured plant will employ 600 to 700 people and in addition to value-added beef production it will be used for cold storage, shipping, and ground beef processing.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSN0632263920080206

---

What's "value added beef"?

Sorry for those losing their jobs - I personally quit eating beef in 2003 when this mal-administration quit testing for madcow.

:sigh:

[flvegan]

1. "Value-added beef production" sounds REALLY bad for the animals, too.

[Adsos Letter]

2. link to "value-added beef"...

http://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/agcomm/aganswers/story.asp?storyID=4030

[UpInArms]

3. thanks - but they still don't seem to understand madcow testing

from your link:

"Value-added" beef products that command premium prices for their higher quality or specialized production practices are gaining momentum within the cattle industry. Indiana beef producers interested in value-added markets can participate in three programs developed by Purdue and the Indiana Beef Cattle Association: Indiana Farm Fresh Beef, Heartland Premium Aged Beef and calf preconditioning.

The Indiana Farm Fresh Beef program is less than a year old but already has trained and certified more than 100 cattle producers in value-added practices, Lemenager said.

"Indiana Farm Fresh Beef is really a certified freezer beef program, where producers market directly to consumers," Lemenager said. "The consumer knows exactly where the product comes from, so there's a level of trust because of the relationship between the producer and the consumer."

The certification program covers all aspects of value-added production, Lemenager said.

[Adsos Letter]

5. Mad cow...mad cow...

(insert whistling past the graveyard smiley here)

:hi:

[allisonthegreat]

6. Everytime I read something about cows or beef

i always end up eating chicken, fish, or cheese for awhile...to bad about the jobs though! recession looming...

[floridablue]

4. Served to you live off the hoof

The trick will be to get that live steer to stand over the BBQ pit long enough for you to get burnt ends.

[catrose]

7. feeling silly

and wondering how you outsource cattle slaughter...yeah, I know that's not really what's going on.

[Kali]

13. Easy - look what happened to horse slaughter.

Made it illegal here so it went to Mexico.

I don't think that is what is going on in this case, however. Sounds like the plant is downsizing and going to more specialty production.

[badgervan]

8. I Don't Get It

Who kills the animals, and how?

[Phred42]

9. Value-added beef production - meaning the beef is coming from non-US sources?

And simply being ground and processed here?

No more Tyson beef for this Cowboy.

[greenbriar]

10. my brother in law is one of the job losers

it is hitting their family HARD

[kelligesq]

11. What is value added: full of hormones? antibiotics? what the hell is it? Tyson

was a good product. Sounds like I wont be buying any Tyson anymore.
How bout their chickens?

[Kali]

12. Usually means some of the prep work or cooking is already done

like cuts packaged in marinade, or precooked roasts or stews - that sort of thing. "convenience"

[xxqqqzme]

15. in other words - more added salt, perservatives

and various other chemicals so the color is 'right' & texture is uniform.

I haven't eaten beef in over 10 years - don't miss it.

[Xithras]

23. Incorrect. See 22

You can learn interesting things living in farm country...

[alfredo]

14. Looks like they will sell the cows that walk to their death, as value added.

[xxqqqzme]

16. they're walking because motored transport costs

have skyrocketed.

[alfredo]

17. No, they are felons and are denied driver's license.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. I used to live in Emporia

I went to college there.

This will destroy that town.

[kestrel91316]

19. Value added means you can't just buy a side of beef or plain cuts from

them. You have to buy the specially seasoned and prepared, ready-to-cook crap that they charge overinflated prices on.

They do NOT want people to be able to buy their own meats cheaply and prepare them themselves.

[KatyaR]

20. My grocery store has been selling that stuff for a while.

It seems no one wants to buy it, though, because it's usually buy one, get one free. None of it looked appetizing enough for me to buy.

[The Croquist]

21. I don't usually buy it either

It's usually two or more dollars a pound more and besides I like to cook. I don't care though if people are willing to pay for it. Allot of people don't have time to prepare food when they get home. If they are willing to pay for the convenience that's OK with me. I'm a big fan of a crock pot. Start it on the way to work and eat when you get home. The cheapest hunk of hog or beef is fork tender.

It's too bad about the jobs but when you let these companies hire illegal aliens what do you expect.

[Xithras]

22. No, value added is a blanket term, but usually means "upgraded meat"

They can take, for example, a chuck or brisket cut and soak it in enzymes to soften it up and make it of comparable quality to strip steaks. Basically, they take a cheap piece of meat and either mechanically or chemically tenderize or modify it so the meat can be marketed as a more expensive cut.

The next time you order a top sirloin, you may actually be getting a "value added" slab of brisket. It's also used a lot for processed meats like hot dogs, allowing meats that are normally too tough to be mixed into the wieners to be softened and included.

Basically it's a way for the big meat companies to make more money for normally inexpensive cuts (smaller meat companies usually can't afford the equipment). In the long term, as this slowly expands, it will mean the end of cheap cuts altogether as the meat for low cost cooking vanishes from the market. No more $10 weekend hamburger barbeques on the back grill.