{"id":131962,"date":"2026-06-23T01:58:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T06:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/?p=131962"},"modified":"2026-06-22T10:21:24","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T15:21:24","slug":"tyson-closure-prompts-community-response-unmc-action","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2026\/06\/23\/tyson-closure-prompts-community-response-unmc-action\/","title":{"rendered":"Tyson closure prompts community response, UNMC action"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The closure of the Tyson Foods beef processing facility in Lexington is creating widespread economic and public health challenges for the central Nebraska region and has prompted UNMC to action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tyson announced in November 2025 that the plant would close permanently on January 20. The facility, Lexington\u2019s largest employer, provided jobs to approximately 3,200 workers. The broader impact is significant. A University of Nebraska-Lincoln analysis estimates a $3.3 billion economic loss statewide and more than 7,000 jobs affected when accounting for related industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lexington is a vibrant community and has just over 11,000 residents, with about 64% of residents identifying as Hispanic or Latino and more than 40% foreign-born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The UNMC Center for Reducing Health Disparities<\/a>, within the UNMC College of Public Health, led a research study with former Tyson workers (IRB #0083-26-EX). The study revealed urgent concerns, including stress, financial instability, loss of health insurance, inability to pay for needed prescription medications, challenges applying for unemployment and public benefit programs like Medicaid and SNAP, and barriers to employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Workers described feeling anxious and uncertain about their future, while all expressed a desire to remain in Lexington if support and job opportunities are available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UNMC mobilized quickly to support affected workers and families through culturally responsive, community-based health education programming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Athena Ramos, PhD, associate professor in the UNMC College of Public Health, said, \u201cAs soon as I heard the news announcement about the plant closure, I knew we had to do something. I focused on learning as much as I could about the community response and understanding the landscape so we could identify opportunities to assist meeting community needs without duplicating efforts where there was already local capacity.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n

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Two CPR and first aid certification students practice CPR on a manikin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Between January and March 2026, Ramos and her team at the Center for Reducing Health Disparities partnered with local organizations to provide:<\/p>\n\n\n\n