WATERLOO, Iowa – Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad announced that $21,000 in federal grants will be used to help former employees of Beef Products, Inc. (BPI) find new jobs after the plant closes on May 25.

The money will be used for job fairs and other assistance, such as resume writing. BPI, the manufacturer of lean, finely textured beef, is permanently closing manufacturing facilities in Amarillo, Texas; Garden City, Kan.; and Waterloo.

The company cited decreased demand for its products as the reason for the closings. BPI said 650 people will lose their jobs as a result of the three facility closings. Another 86 corporate employees will lose their jobs in areas such as accounting, logistics, engineering and human resources. The company plans to keep its facility in South Sioux City, Neb., open, but it will be run at reduced capacity.