Oscar Mayer will close its Beardstown, Ill. plant.

The company said it will permanently close the hog processing plant in April, putting nearly 800 people out of work. Roger Kinson, vice president and plant manager, said it is no longer economical for Oscar Mayer to keep the plant open. “There is an overcapacity of hog slaughtering facilities in the industry,” Kinson said. He said the decision to close the plant on April 10 is “irreversible.” Oscar Mayer has operated the hog processing plant in Beardstown for 19 years and is the largest employer in the Illinois River town of 6,300.