Perdue Farms to Lay Off Nearly 300 Employees at Indiana Turkey Plant
Perdue Farms is making changes to its production at the Washington, Indiana, facility in response to the impact of bird flu and a shift in consumer preferences towards other meats. The company announced that it will be eliminating the second shift at the plant on October 10, affecting around 300 employees.
A spokesperson for Perdue Farms clarified that while this decision will have no impact on the company’s other operations in Indiana, such as the feed mill, grain receiving facility, hatchery, and breeder operations, it was necessary to make adjustments to achieve operational efficiencies.
The USDA forecasts a decline in U.S. turkey production to under 5 billion pounds in 2025, down from 6.6 billion pounds produced last year. This decrease is attributed to factors such as the spread of bird flu, inflation affecting demand, and a shift in consumer preferences towards beef and pork.
Perdue Farms is not alone in facing challenges in the meat industry. Other major companies, such as Tyson Foods and Smithfield Foods, have also made strategic decisions to close plants and lay off workers in response to changing market conditions.
These changes reflect the ongoing adjustments being made in the food industry to align supply with production and meet evolving consumer demands. Perdue Farms and other companies are adapting to these challenges to ensure long-term sustainability and efficiency in their operations.
For more information, you can refer to the official Perdue Farms WARN notice and the USDA’s turkey sector statistics.