Prairie Farms Dairy Shuts Down Two Cheese Manufacturing Plants in Wisconsin
Prairie Farms Dairy has announced the permanent closure of two cheese manufacturing facilities located in Wisconsin—Shullsburg Creamery and White Hill Cheese. These closures will result in nearly 100 job losses, with 43 employees affected at Shullsburg and 54 at White Hill. The company cited operational changes as a reason but did not provide further details on the decision. The WARN notices indicate that most workers are expected to be laid off immediately or by mid-August, while some will remain temporarily for shutdown activities. Neither facility's employees were part of any union, meaning bumping rights—provisions allowing senior staff to retain jobs—are inapplicable here. Prairie Farms is a major dairy cooperative with over 7,000 employees and annual revenue exceeding $4.6 billion. This move follows recent closures by other U.S. dairy companies such as Dairy Farmers of America and Danone, signaling potential industry-wide restructuring or cost-cutting measures in response to market pressures.