BEAVER DAM, Wis. — More than 250 people will soon be out of a job in Dodge County. 

Conagra Foods alerted the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Monday that the company intends to close its Beaver Dam “Birds Eye” production facility and warehouse over the next 10 months. 

In the letter, Conagra indicated it plans to shutter the factory in June, while the warehouse will continue operating until Jan. 2025. 

In Beaver Dam, employees and residents said they were saddened by the news.

One current Birds Eye employee, who didn’t wish to be identified, said he would miss the sense of community at the facility. The employee was nearly moved to tears while speaking with our news team.  

Others in town said the closure has been a big topic of conversation.

Sara Livingston, who stopped in for lunch at Chili John’s downtown, said it’s an unfortunate situation. 

“It is sad. It is bad that they are losing that many jobs in Beaver Dam,” said Livingston. “I hope the community can come together and help those losing their jobs.” 

Spectrum News 1 asked Conagra about the reasons behind the closure. In response, a company representative provided the following statement: 

“We continually evaluate our overall network of food production facilities to ensure that we are operating as effectively and efficiently as possible so we can remain competitive as a company. We have determined that we can continue to meet the needs of the business by making these products in fewer facilities. Therefore, we informed employees that our Beaver Dam facility will close by the end of the summer, which will impact approximately 250 employees.

“This decision is not a reflection of the overall performance of our Beaver Dam team. We are committed to treating our employees respectfully and fairly throughout this transition, and we will offer severance benefits to employees.”