O'Mara, Palmesano request discussion with Kraft Heinz CEO on future of Campbell plant

Corning, N.Y., November 2—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I-Big Flats) and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning) released a copy of a letter they delivered today to Kraft Heinz Company CEO Bernardo Hees.

In their letter, O’Mara and Palmesano have requested the opportunity to discuss directly with Hees the future of the Kraft facility in Campbell, following the recent reports that the company is planning to shut the Campbell plant down along with two others in upstate New York.

O’Mara and Palmesano wrote, “We are requesting the opportunity to speak directly with you to explore what steps we may be able to help facilitate in order to save this vitally important food processing plant from closure... As the New York State representatives for this plant, it is vitally important and urgent that we discuss this matter and work together to identify possible alternatives which will not have such an acute impact on one single region, especially with the reports that two other plants in upstate New York are slated for closure.”

They stressed the economic and societal consequences that the closing would have across the region.

“The Campbell facility employs nearly 400 workers who support their families and thereby contribute to our communities in countless ways in support of our farms, our schools, our small businesses and so many other economic and societal cornerstones.  Just last year, the plant underwent $16 million in capital improvements to upgrade the facility.  The loss of these jobs and the significant investment made here will be devastating not only to the hundreds of families directly impacted, but also to the surrounding local economies and dairy farmers who supply the facility with 35 shipments a day,” the local lawmakers wrote.

They hope to hear from Hees personally.

They noted that Governor Andrew Cuomo, United States Senator Charles Schumer, Congressman Tom Reed and numerous other state leaders have also urged Kraft Heinz to keep the upstate New York plants open,.

[see the attached copy of the O’Mara-Palmesano letter]