Purdue Farms recently announced plans to shut down their chicken processing plant in Monterey, effectively eliminating 433 jobs.

The closure was announced in an email sent to Cookeville’s Herald-Citizen yesterday. The press release within that email claims the decision came after a thorough strategic business and financial review of the plant’s performance and future viability.

The same press release claims the decision was tough but necessary to ensure Purdue remains fit for the future, and they extend their deepest gratitude to the Monterey team for their hard work and dedication.

The plant was originally owned by Gol-Pak and was purchased by Purdue in 1998. At that point in time, there were over 1,300 employees at Gol-Pak and they were one of the largest employers in the county.