DAKOTA DUNES, SD – The bad news continues for employees of Beef Products Inc. (BPI) as the company announced layoffs at its corporate headquarters in Dakota Dunes, SD.

In addition to the 650 employees who will lose their jobs when BPI closes three plants May 25, at least 86 corporate employees will lose their jobs in areas such as accounting, logistics, engineering and human resources. The company said it also plans reductions at BPI’s machine shop/assembly facility in South Sioux City, Neb.

"We are deeply saddened by today's events," said Regina Roth, BPI co-founder. "This causes very personal heartache for us. We are not some big conglomerate, but a small family owned business. We personally know and have worked side by side with these people and our family business will never be the same with this loss."

BPI said it would support former corporate employees through severance packages and job assistance.

"Employees affected by today's announcement are being offered severance benefits, including continuation of their current pay for 60 days," said Rich Jochum, BPI’s corporate administrator. "We will also be working with other employers in the region and within our industry, as well as state and local agencies, to assist these employees in finding new employment.

“Based on the level of dedication, commitment and capability our employees possess or demonstrate, we are confident that any number of other employers will be anxious to make them part of their team," he said.

Operations will continue at South Sioux City at a reduced capacity while the company continues to restore consumer confidence in lean finely textured beef.

"For the last thirty years, we have dedicated ourselves to producing the safest, highest-quality, all-natural lean beef that has been enjoyed by millions of Americans, and we continue to stand by our product as 100 percent safe, wholesome and nutritious," said Eldon Roth, BPI co-founder and inventor of much of the technology utilized by BPI. "We're convinced that consumer demand for our high quality lean beef will return."