LINCOLN — In a blow to the local economy of Lexington, Nebraska, Tyson Foods announced that it is closing the town’s longtime Tyson beef plant that employed about 3,200 people.

The Arkansas-based Tyson said in a statement that changes were designed to “right-size” its beef business and position it for long-term success.

The Lexington plant is to close on or around Jan. 20. The statement did not elaborate on why the plant in the town of about 11,500 people was targeted.

The company said it also will convert an Amarillo, Texas, beef facility to a single, full-capacity shift and increase production at other company beef facilities. The number of layoffs from that eliminated shift is about 1,700.

A recent earnings report indicated that Tyson stands to lose some $600 million in its beef bus

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