Butterball will shutter its Jonesboro turkey processing facility next year impacting about 180 workers. The tentative plan is to close the plant by Feb. 3, 2025, according to a release from the company.
A reason for the closure was not released. Production at the Jonesboro plant, which produced cooked, ready-to-eat deli breasts, will be moved to other Butterball facilities.
Workers at the plant were informed during a meeting Wednesday (Dec. 4). Those who stay will be paid in compliance with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notifications Act. It wasn’t immediately known if some of the displaced workers will be moved to other facilities within the company’s system.
“We deliberated for a long time about this difficult decision, as we know it will affect about 180 team members and their families. We are committed to helping our team members as they determine next steps in their careers,” said Jay Jandrain, CEO and president of Butterball.
Butterball has operated its facility in Jonesboro for almost 19 years. The company’s other Arkansas operations include processing facilities in Huntsville and Ozark, and feed mills in Alix, Altus and Yellville.
In the 1990’s, ConAgra Foods acquired the Butterball brand, and in 2006 it sold that division to Carolina Turkeys, based in Garner, N.C.
