SPRINGDALE, Ark. – Tyson Foods, Inc. will close its Ford Ave. processing plant in Springdale, Ark., the company announced March 1. Gary Mickelson, Tyson spokesman, said “changing demand for certain specialty products” prompted the closure.

“There are 68 hourly production workers at the plant and they're being offered permanent positions at other Tyson Foods locations in the area,” Mickelson said in a statement. “The plant on Ford Avenue has been operating for more than 15 years and once served as Tyson’s research and development pilot plant. In recent years, due to Tyson’s business strategy to operate more efficiently, most of the products made at the plant have been relocated to other facilities or consolidated to better meet the needs of our customers.”