Cargill will permanently close its Milwaukee, Wis., ground beef processing plant in the coming months, according to local news sources citing a WARN notice filed by the company. The closure will result in 221 employees losing their jobs.
Production will cease around April 17, the company said in the WARN filing, and the facility will shut down entirely by the end of May. Layoffs are expected to begin on April 11. Cargill told one local news outlet that the shutdown will “better align our portfolio with current customer demand and prioritize investments where they are needed most for the future.”
Ground beef production will shift to other North American beef processing facilities, including one in nearby Butler, Wis., the company added. Employees who leave the company due to the closure reportedly will be eligible for a severance package.
About the Author
Andy Hanacek
Senior Editor
Andy Hanacek has covered meat, poultry, bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years, and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies, sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain. In 2018, he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs, and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years. In addition, Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety, a food safety software and consulting company.