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Kraft Foods plant in Kirksville to elminate 275 jobs

In a memo to employees the Kraft Foods/Oscar Mayer  stated it would phase out bacon production in Kirksville and move production to another plant in Ohio.

Joyce Hodel, a spokesperson at Kraft Foods, told KBIA in an email that they are looking at bringing in other production to their Kirksville facility, but they don’t have anything firm to share at this time.

Carolyn Chrisman, director of economic development in Kirksville, is worried about the potential loss of 275 jobs.

“One job, 10 jobs, 200 jobs are obviously huge for us. They are the largest manufacture however. That is definitely a concern for us, because a lot of local people work there. Original employees. Sometimes they have both parents in the household working, so it is definitely a concern for us,” she says.

Joyce Hodel tells in the email that Kraft Foods/Oscar Mayer is consolidating all of their bacon production into one site, Coshocton, Ohio, to build manufacturing scale and lower their overhead and total production cost.

Carolyn Chrisman says they will now focus on developing new jobs in the area.

“The timeline they have given. You know, maybe phasing it out by the end of 2015. At least that does give us time to put a plan together and see what we can do to curb the effects of it.” 

The memo states that the company will not know which employees will be affected until after the New Year, but that it will offer those losing jobs a "separation package that includes severance pay, financial assistance to help pay medical insurance after jobs are eliminated, and outplacement assistance."

The announcement does not impact the facility’s ham business. Ham will continue production in Kirksville.