Illinois offers support to seek operator for Joslin plant

State plans funding opportunity

Illinois will prepare a notice of funding opportunity through the Invest in Illinois Fund for qualified proposals to acquire and reuse the former Tyson Foods beef facility in Joslin. Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity said the funding is intended to strengthen efforts to attract a buyer.

The state’s goals include returning the property to productive use, supporting jobs, sustaining economic activity in the Quad Cities and adding beef production capacity. A new operator could use the site for food production or another industrial purpose.

The Joslin facility has large-scale infrastructure, connections to agricultural supply chains, access to major transportation networks and an experienced regional workforce. The state has not identified a prospective buyer or announced when the funding opportunity will open.

Closure affected workers and agriculture

Tyson Foods announced that it would end operations at the Joslin plant and a facility in Eagle City, Utah, while restructuring its beef business. The company cited historically low cattle supplies. Nearly 2,500 employees were affected at the Illinois location.

The national cattle supply has fallen to its lowest level in roughly 75 years, leading beef companies to consolidate production and reconsider facilities in their networks. Illinois Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II said the Joslin closure also affected farmers in Illinois and elsewhere in the Midwest.

Assistance continues in the Quad Cities

DCEO has mobilized workforce and economic development programs for displaced employees while pursuing new investment at the site. The response includes rapid-response services and coordination with workforce organizations across the Quad Cities.

DCEO Director Kristin Richards said the state’s work is focused on connecting affected workers with resources, employment opportunities and services during the transition. The proposed funding process adds a separate economic development tool aimed at bringing productive activity back to the facility.