In 1988, IBP, the world's largest meat processing firm, announced it would open a beefpacking plant in Lexington, Nebraska. This was part of the latest wave of meatpacking restructuring which moved plants away from urban centers and union strongholds to rural communities. This paper examines community changes accompanying the opening of a large meatpacking plant and the arrival of Latinos, who comprise 70-80 percent of the plant's work force. Data from Nebraska Job Services, Social Services, Dawson County Register of Deeds, the U.S. Census, and Haven House, which provides temporary food and shelter to newcomers, were used to examine IBP hiring patterns, immigration patterns, general assistance benefits, social services requests, school enrollment and turnover, and job service applications. Interviews with newly arrived Latinos yielded information on household composition, education, English language skills, and work history. Interviews with established residents of Lexington provided baseline data and data concerning community attitudes towards IBP and socioeconomic changes associated with the plant. Recommendations for community residents and leaders in these "new" meatpacking communities include creating a positive context of reception for new immigrants, creating economic development beyond IBP, and building for a second generation. (Contains 40 references and 10 figures.) (TD)