Decades-old Farmland Dairies in Wallington, New Jersey, plans to close its doors by mid-February. The announcement came as a surprise to many, according to a report by Desiree Taylor on NJTV News, including the 325 people who will be left without jobs once the plant closes.
“It kinda came out of nowhere, I don’t think anyone was expecting this, so it was just kinda shocking,” employee Stan Tomza told the TV station. The news also shocked Wallington’s business administrator, who said there was “no indication something like this could happen.”According to the report, the closure will come in three phases two weeks apart. Besides putting people out of work, the city is concerned about the lost tax revenue. The dairy is one of the area’s largest taxpayers and users of water.
Farmland Dairies, owned by Borden Dairy, is closing to increase efficiency at the company, according to spokesman Fred Stern. Also because fewer people are drinking its milk, he said. It is unclear how the closure will affect milk prices since only three other milk processing plants will remain in New Jersey once the dairy shutters.
“Making matters worse,” according to the news report, “a milk distributing plant in town closed back in October. Another sign this once thriving industry is drying up.” PD
—Summarized by PD staff from cited source
