Dairy Farmers of America, a national farmer-owned cooperative, announced Wednesday that it will effectively close its milk processing plant in St. Albans, Vermont, and the adjoining St. Albans Creamery & Supply store, eliminating around 80 jobs.
The decision, which DFA described as part of “broader operational and network changes,” is a blow to Franklin County’s dairy economy. The region has relied heavily on the industry for generations and has seen several dairy production shutdowns in recent years.
“Both the plant and store have been foundational parts of the St. Albans community for generations,” DFA said in a statement, adding that it recognizes “the deep local connections to these operations.” A DFA spokesperson told VTDigger that the group will retain ownership of the facility and maintain a “small team” on site, but day-to-day production will end.
The broader labor market context includes a national U-6 unemployment rate — which counts unemployed workers, discouraged workers, and those working part-time involuntarily — of 8.1% as of May, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
MSI previously reported that the Smithfield Foods company planned a $1.3 billion move away from its Sioux Falls river site, and that a Tyson beef plant closure would lay off 3,200 workers threatening the economy of Lexington, Nebraska. Those developments, together with the St. Albans idling, mark a continued contraction in protein-processing and dairy infrastructure across the country.