SPRINGDALE, Ark. – Food, ice and cooking teams are being sent by Tyson Foods to Joplin, Mo., and Reading, Kan., to help in the aftermath of tornadoes that hit both communities last weekend.

On Monday, cooking teams from six Tyson plant locations traveled to Joplin. This town was devastated by a Sunday evening tornado that killed 116 people and destroyed many homes and businesses. Tyson is also sending two truckloads of meat and one truckload of ice to Joplin.


Tyson plants involved in the relief efforts are located in Sedalia, Noel and Monett, Mo., and Berryville, Clarksville, and Rogers, Ark. These same facilities have also sent nurses to Joplin, since the hospital there was severely damaged by the tornado and a request was made for additional medical assistance.

In southwest Missouri, Tyson’s Noel and Monett poultry processing plants were not damaged by the storm. There have also been no reports of damage to contract poultry farms in the area.

Tyson Foods’ Emporia, Kan. specialty meats plant sent a cooking team to Reading, Kan., where a tornado hit Saturday, killing one person and reportedly destroying approximately 20 homes. At least five Tyson Team Members who work at the Emporia plant live in or near Reading, which is in east central Kansas. Some sustained damage to their homes; however, none of them were injured.