An estimated 2,000 workers who are being displaced by the closure of a Farmer John meatpacking plant in Vernon are receiving help, thanks to a Los Angeles County-led partnership aimed at training them for new jobs.
Parent company Smithfield Foods, which acquired Farmer John in 2017, announced it will be closing the facility this month, citing “the escalating cost of doing business in California.” The plant has been in operation for more than 90 years.
Smithfield, which first announced the closure in June 2022, said the products will now be packaged and trucked in from its facilities in the Midwest. Many employees have already been laid off.
Funded largely by a $6.1 million grant from the state Employment Development Department, L.A. County representatives — along with UFCW Local 770, the Hospitality Training Academy and others — have hosted a series of job fairs aimed at helping Farmer John workers get the assistance and training they need to transition to good paying union jobs.
Many of the jobs are in hospitality, while others are in the construction industry.
More than finding work
County Supervisor Janice Hahn, who spearheaded the effort, said the partnership involves more than helping Farmer John’s employees find work.
“Before workers even begin to talk to employers or get information about job training, we make sure they have everything they need to support their families right now,” she said.
That includes connecting them with CalFresh benefits and healthcare coverage through Covered California, as well as helping them file for unemployment and connecting them with housing assistance if needed.
“Many of these workers have spent years, if not decades, working at this meatpacking plant doing grueling work,” Hahn said. “And it is our hope that out of this bad situation, we can open doors for people to start new careers and improve their quality of life.”
Liz Odendahl, Hahn’s communications director, said some of the employees…
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