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FinancePrairie Farms Dairy closes two Wisconsin cheese plants, cutting nearly 100 jobs
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Prairie Farms Dairy is permanently closing two cheese manufacturing facilities in Shullsburg, Wisconsin: the Shullsburg Creamery and White Hill Cheese facility. The closures, announced via WARN notices, will result in the loss of 43 jobs at Shullsburg Creamery and 54 at White Hill Cheese, totaling nearly 100 positions. Most layoffs are immediate or scheduled for mid-August, with some employees retained temporarily for shutdown activities. The retail Cheese Store at Shullsburg Creamery will remain open. Prairie Farms acquired Shullsburg Creamery in 2020, which was founded in 1934. The company, based in Edwardsville, Illinois, operates 48 plants and over 100 distribution hubs with $4.6 billion in annual revenue. The closures follow similar moves by Dairy Farmers of America and Danone, reflecting ongoing consolidation in the US dairy industry.
Source report
By: Shivam Mishra Source: Just Food
Prairie Farms Dairy is shutting down two cheese manufacturing facilities in Shullsburg, Wisconsin, resulting in the loss of nearly 100 jobs.
According to WARN notices filed by the company, production is ceasing at its Shullsburg Creamery and White Hill Cheese facility.
In separate notices sent to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and the mayor of Shullsburg, Prairie Farms stated it is "permanently ending operations and laying off all employees" at the two sites.
Shullsburg Creamery
- The closure affects the entire facility and production staff.
- The retail Cheese Store will remain unaffected.
- 43 roles will be lost, spanning packaging, production, and cheese operations.
- Most employees were laid off immediately.
- Certain maintenance, warehouse, and supervisory staff, along with nine employees retained to wind down the plant, will leave on an undetermined date depending on operational needs.
- The creamery was founded in 1934 by Anton Pederson, a Danish immigrant, and acquired by Prairie Farms in 2020.
White Hill Cheese
- The closure affects 54 employees across functions including production, packaging, and maintenance.
- Most workers are due to leave in mid-August.
- 12 employees will remain temporarily for shutdown activities.
Additional Details
Employees at both Shullsburg Creamery and White Hill Cheese are not members of any union. Prairie Farms noted in its notices that "therefore the issue of bumping rights is not applicable." Bumping rights are provisions, typically tied to seniority rules in a union contract or employer policy, that allow laid-off workers to displace other employees instead of losing their jobs outright.
At the time of writing, Prairie Farms had not responded to Just Food's request for comment on the reasons for the closures.
Company Background
Based in Edwardsville, Illinois, Prairie Farms is supported by a network of over 500 farming families and roughly 7,000 employees. According to its LinkedIn page, the company manages 48 production plants alongside more than 100 distribution hubs, generating upwards of $4.6 billion in revenue each year.
Industry Context
In June, the Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) cooperative in the US revealed plans to close its St. Albans facility in Vermont. The St. Albans Creamery is due to shutter on August 17, affecting around 80 workers.
In May, Danone announced it would shut its dairy-alternatives factory in Bridgeton, New Jersey, in August, resulting in the loss of 114 jobs.
"Prairie Farms Dairy closes two US plants" was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand.
Source
Yahoo FinanceWestern
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Prairie Farms Dairy closes two US plants, cutting nearly 100 jobs