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Published on January 17, 2025
Perdue Farms to Shut Down Monterey Plant, Over 400 Employees to Face LayoffsSource: Google Street View

The impending closure of the Perdue Farms chicken processing plant in Monterey, which is set to cease operations on March 28, will leave 433 employees jobless, a move announced by the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce and Mayor Randy Porter. Perdue Farms cites a focus on "continuous improvement and modernization of its supply chain" to meet changing consumer demands as the rationale behind shutting down the facility, a decision that the company indicates was not made lightly, promising to provide severance benefits and job placement support to the affected workers, as reported by WKRN.

In a detailed corporate statement per WKRN, Kevin McAdams, CEO of Perdue Farms, expressed that the choice was a tough but necessary measure to ensure the company's future viability, Perdue will offer severance packages, including extended Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) protections for up to ten weeks, additional severance pay, and job placement assistance to ease the transition for employees. The company's deep gratitude was extended to the Monterey team for their dedication and contributions over the years.

Amy New, President and CEO of the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce, shared her empathy for the workers facing layoffs and promised action, indicating that a career fair is in the works to aid in employee transitions. As per FOX17, Mayor Porter echoed this commitment and encouraged local businesses to list job openings on the Chamber's website to facilitate job matches for the soon-to-be-displaced workers.

The local response to the announced closure showcases a community rallying to support its members, with Porter expressing confidence in the community's ability to come together and aid those affected, New empathizing with the employees' challenging situation, and both local officials and the Chamber of Commerce actively taking steps to mitigate the impact of the layoffs, as noted in their respective statements to the media including the Herald-Citizen.