Windom pork plant could soon close, costing 1,000 jobs

WINDOM, Minn. (AP) — Owners of a pork processing plant in southern Minnesota said more than 1,000 people are in danger of losing their jobs if a new owner for the plant is not found soon. HyLife Foods filed notice with the state this week that its efforts to improve business at its Windom plant have been unsuccessful, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.

In a memo to the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development, HyLife said it has faced challenges from inflation, high grain costs, foreign exchange rates and the plant’s operational losses.

The Windom plant can process 1.2 million hogs annually — about a third of HyLife’s processing capacity.

Layoffs could begin Monday and end as late as June 2.