Wayne Farms LLC will phase out its further processing facility in Douglas, Georgia by the end of July 2009 due to the end of a long-standing and highly-specialised customer contract and as a necessary next step in the company’s ongoing efforts to increase operating efficiencies.

Wayne Farms' President and CEO, Elton Maddox, said that the decision is final and that the company is currently in discussions with several parties who are potentially interested in purchasing the Douglas facility, which currently employs around 150 people.

"The needs of our clients are constantly changing," said Mr Maddox. "Wayne Farms purchased this facility more than ten years ago specifically because of an existing business relationship and the needs of a particular client. As our customer portfolio has evolved, we took the time to reevaluate our Douglas operations in relation to our existing production needs and overall business plan."

Employees affected by the closure will be offered positions at other facilities where possible, and the company is working with the Georgia Department of Labor to coordinate employment/job placement assistance for all affected employees. Vendors and suppliers will be notified regarding any impacts that may occur as a result of the closure. No Wayne Farms customers will be affected by the Douglas closure.

Wayne Farms LLC is the fifth largest vertically integrated poultry producer in the United States with annual sales exceeding $1 billion. A subsidiary of Continental Grain Company, Wayne Farms LLC owns and operates 12 fresh and further-processed facilities throughout the Southeast producing more than one billion pounds of poultry products each year. The company employs more than 8,500 individuals.