MONETT, Mo. -- Dairy Farmers of America will close its plant here in the second half of this year. That news was confirmed Wednesday night from the plant manager.
Around 80 people will be out of work. They were given letters on Wednesday explaining the decision to close the plant. The Kansas City-based company processes milk and cheese, which it also sells through the company's store.
Ive been there a long time, actually "grew up" in the walls of this plant... To be honest, there are a lot of reasons in my view why this is happening. I don't blame anyone there for this heartbreaking turn of events. what I would like to focus on more than anything, is the absolute pleasure it has been to get to know you all and find a family that Ill never forget. I never thought Id really "feel" this but... money is money. I wouldnt trade the laughs Ive shared or the times we have had there for all the money in the world. Thank you all for every moment, even the tough ones... they made me who I am today.
It would be nice to know the reason for closing the plant. I've worked for DFA for 16 years, at the Cabool Mo. Plant. There has been so much change in our plant in the last 7 or 8 years. Work is steady, but still uncertain as to if it will stay that way. The company claims this plant has been in the RED for many years, and claims to be seaking new contracts for our production lines. You just never know what straw will break the camels back. I think most of us that work here, wouldn't be at all suprised if they announced the closing of our plant. I hope for the best, and hope to retire from here. Very shaky ground, no matter where you work these days. The economy is NOT getting better, no matter what the media try to tell us. Just look around, we are still slipping backwards, and our goverment is playing power games with our money.
Before I retired a few years ago I used to deliver to a few of their plants all over the Country. They have build huge operations in Eastern NM and West Tex where they got thousands of people from down South working. A old buddy of mine retired a few years ago from Monett and told me the Unions have been trying to get into there for years.The last time I went through west Texas there where Dairy farms that were milking 4,000 head a day 24/7 with feed lot bigger than the city of Monett.
Cheaper Business tax's,cheaper labor and no income tax for workers and the top dogs. Most likely 200 thousand Manufacturing jobs have left SW MO in the last 30 or so years and nobody really cares or got a clue why. People like to blame China or Mexico but the truth is most went to non Union, non income tax States. Fact.
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