PERRY, Iowa [KCCI] – A pork plant and major employer in central Iowa is closing. KCCI reports the Tyson Foods plant in Perry will close permanently.

“After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to permanently close our Perry, Iowa pork facility. We understand the impact of this decision on our team members and the local community. Taking care of our team members is our top priority and we encourage them to apply for other open roles within the company. We are also working closely with state and local officials to provide additional resources to those who are impacted,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “While this decision was not easy, it emphasizes our focus to optimize the efficiency of our operations to best serve our customers. Iowa remains a key state for Tyson Foods, with employment of more than 9,000 team members across our other Iowa facilities.”

The Tyson plant is Perry’s largest employer, with around 1,200 workers, according to Perry Economic Development.