Perdue Farms closing Monterey plant facility, more than 400 layoffs to follow

PUTNAM COUNTY, Tenn. (WZTV) — Perdue Farms is closing their Monterey plant, the Putnam County mayor announced Thursday night.

The closure will leave 433 employees out of a job. Randy Porter, the mayor of Putnam County, says the plant has been a part of Monterey and the county's economy for numerous years.

"Saddened by the announcement from Perdue Farms on the closing of the Monterey plant..." Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter wrote. "We will be working closely with Monterey officials and our Chamber of Commerce to do everything we can to assist the workers during this difficult time."

In a statement sent to Putnam County, Perdue notes the closure is due in part to market demand and production to the Monterey plant.

See the official statement on the closure from a Perdue executive below:

“This decision comes as part of the company’s overall focus on continuous improvement and modernization of its supply chain to meet evolving consumer demands and operational needs. Changes in market demand and how the company produces and supplies its products have impacted the Monterey facility in recent years. Addressing these challenges would require substantial additional investments to maintain operations.

This was difficult news for our associates, and please know a decision like this is something we take very seriously, and one that was not made lightly. We are committed to doing everything we can to help our associates through this transition. To support affected associates, Perdue will provide severance packages, which include extended WARN protections for up to ten weeks, additional severance pay beyond the standard compensation, and job placement support to assist in their transition.

We also understand that this impacts the broader town of Monterey and its neighbors. We have been proud to be part of your community for these past years and are grateful for the relationships forged and partnerships made.”

The mayor says the county plans to place their “Workforce Strike Team” in effect to assist dislocated workers in locating new jobs.

Mayor Porter askes any job openings in a business to be posted to the chamber's website here.

No further information on the closure is available at this time.

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