Missouri is having a rough year, for sure.
Fresh off a wave of factory closures that have left the state economy in what we can probably charitably describe as a “tailspin”…
Missouri is bracing for the next wave of lost jobs, tax revenue, and economic dynamism as another four factories have announced plans to close.
The one thing tying all four of these factories together is that they’re all part of the food industry – but we’ll get to that in a moment. First, the factories themselves:
- Royal Canin North America is closing its plant in Rolla by December 31st, with a total of 105 planned layoffs;
- General Mills is closing down two pet food plants in Joplin in July 2026;
- General Mills is also shuttering a frozen pizza crust facility in Joplin by June 2026.
Put it all together, and it’s fair to say that the next nine months are looking pretty rough for Missouri’s manufacturing sector writ large.
The background here is pretty straightforward: The national and global economies are both slowing as several longstanding challenges come home to roost: Stubborn inflation, complex supply chains, pandemic overhangs, and of course ongoing labor shortages. Add in the trade war and its toxic combination of retaliatory tariffs targeting American firms and even boycotts of American goods (especially food and alcohol), and it’s no wonder that you’re seeing factories all across the country go dark.
Unfortunately, the situation threatens to spiral into a chain of economic setbacks that reinforce one another. As sales weaken, companies often pare back operations, shutter lines, or let workers go in an effort to stay solvent. Those job losses then ripple outward, breeding anxiety among workers and families, who respond by cutting spending. That pullback in household consumption deepens the slump, leaving firms little choice but to scale down even more. The longer this cycle continues, the greater the risk that more Americans will be forced to endure layoffs and uncertainty about their futures.
It’s a tough time to be sure, so please join us in wishing all the impacted Missouri residents well as they embark on a job search in these difficult circumstances.
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