NORTH SYDNEY, Australia – JBS Australia’s Beef City plant will shut down July 1, reportedly because of a decrease in demand from customers in Japan. The plant employs approximately 1,100 workers who were told operations at the plant would cease for at least two weeks, according to news reports.

Japan accounts for more than 80 percent of Beef City's sales and while cattle supply was sufficient, grain-fed orders had stalled. Eligible plant workers will be able to access their holiday and long-service leave during the shutdown. Anyone not having entitlements may be able to access state and federal government assistance payments. Meanwhile, 50 positions have been made temporarily available at another JBS Australia-owned plant at Ipswich.