JBS Workers Walk Off at Greeley Beef Plant, Raising New Pressure on U.S. Beef Supply

Overview

• About 3,800 employees at JBS’s Swift Beef facility in Greeley, Colorado, began the strike Monday morning, with the union signaling a roughly two-week action.
• JBS said it would run two shifts at Greeley, offer work and pay to employees who do not strike, and temporarily shift production to other plants, stating it complies with labor laws.
• USDA data show year-to-date cattle slaughter is about 10% below 2025 levels, a backdrop that could magnify short-term supply tightness and price pressure from the stoppage.
• Union officials allege unfair labor practices, report a 99% strike-authorization vote, and say company pay offers average under 2% a year alongside higher health costs.
• The Greeley plant handles an estimated 5,000–6,000 head per day within JBS’s roughly 28,000-head U.S. capacity, and the union calls it the first beef-plant strike in about four decades as USDA monitors potential market effects.