U.S. Senator Josh Hawley | Official U.S. Senate headshot
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley | Official U.S. Senate headshot
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has sent a letter to Tyson Foods CEO Donnie King, demanding transparency and accountability following allegations that the company misled stakeholders about its intentions to sell its chicken plant in Dexter, Missouri. The lawsuit claims Tyson falsely assured it would sell the plant to any interested party, including competitors.
The letter follows a commitment secured by Senator Hawley from King, promising that Tyson would support the more than 2,000 Missourians who lost their jobs due to the plant closures. Senator Hawley continues his efforts to protect Missouri farmers and workers from what he describes as Tyson’s anticompetitive and unethical practices.
In September of last year, Senator Hawley introduced the Strengthening Antitrust Enforcement for Meatpacking Act. This legislation aims to empower antitrust enforcers to dismantle large meatpacking and poultry monopolies, thereby redistributing power back to local communities.
Additionally, last September, Senator Hawley demanded answers from King after a report by The New York Times revealed unsafe and illegal child labor practices within Tyson Foods.
In his recent letter dated July 9, 2024, addressed to Donnie D. King at Tyson Foods' headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, Senator Hawley highlighted the impact of last year's plant closures on both workers and farmers contracted with Tyson. The lawsuit filed by Grandview Poultry alleges that instead of selling the Dexter plant to a competitor capable of processing broiler chickens, Tyson sold it to Cal-Maine Foods—a company that produces table eggs but does not process broiler chickens.
The lawsuit further claims that internal documents contradict commitments made by King and that these documents have been redacted in public court filings due to a protective order issued by the Circuit Court of New Madrid County.
Senator Hawley's letter calls for immediate public disclosure of this redacted information and requests an unredacted copy of the class action petition along with all referenced internal documents for his office's review.
He concluded his letter emphasizing the seriousness of these allegations and asserting that Missourians deserve full transparency on this matter.
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