Pilgrim’s Pride, the embattled US poultry firm, has decided to “idle” chicken processing plants in Alabama and in Georgia.


The company, which fell into bankruptcy last December due to massive debts, said the sites – one in Athens, Alabama and one of its two in Athens I, Georgia, “within 60-75 days”.


Production from the Alabama site will move to two other complexes. A hatchery and feed mill linked to the site will continue to operate.


Production from Pilgrim’s Athens, Georgia plant on Oneta Street will switch to the neighbouring Barber St. site.


Around 970 employees will be affected by the reorganisation, although Pilgrim’s Pride said it expects to find positions for “many” of the around 640 staff at the Alabama site and “most” of the 330 workers at the Oneta Street facility.

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Pilgrim’s Pride is busy revamping the business since it file d for Chapter 11 late last year.


In May, the company sold a Louisiana chicken complex to Foster’s Farms. A month earlier, Pilgrim’s Pride closed a plant in Dalton, Georgia.

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