BPI sets up relief fund for former employees

Garden City, KS(westernkansasnews.com) Beef Products Inc  has established a $10 million fund to assist former employees who were affected by the plant closings in 2012 that included the Garden City plant. In total 750 people lost their jobs in three plant closings that also included Amarillo, TX and Waterloo, Iowa

BPI has settled it’s lawsuit with ABC News for the damage their report did on the product lean finely textured beef. The ABC report referred to the beef as “pink slime”.
Former employees of BPI can apply for financial relief at beefproducts.com/employee-fund.

Those requesting financial relief through the fund should note that decisions regarding fund participation will be based on criteria such as: length of service with BPI; unemployment or other benefits our former employees may have received; and other factors that help us determine the impact that the plant closure and loss of BPI employment had on employees and their families. The fund is a set amount and we intend to use it to assist those most affected by the closures based on these factors. Please note that the questionnaire also seeks information regarding services or benefits you may have received from others, like your church or other support group, so we can get a more complete picture of how the plant closings impacted our communities. It is also our intent to give back to the communities affected in 2012.

The Garden City Chamber of Commerce is offering to assist those who need help with the application. Call the Chamber at 276-3264. Applications need to be in by November 18.