Statement from Senator O'Mara on the Kraft-Heinz agreement and its impact on the Campbell facility (UPDATED, November 5th)

Campbell, N.Y., November 4—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,I,C-Big Flats) released the following statement on today’s announcement that the Kraft-Heinz facility in Campbell (Steuben County) will only operate in its current capacity for the next 12 to 24 months:

“I am extremely disappointed that, once again, Southern Tier workers and Southern Tier families are being left behind under Governor Cuomo and Senator Schumer's announced agreement with Kraft-Heinz which will result in the ultimate closure of the Kraft plant in Campbell.

“While the agreement is welcome news for the other communities with Kraft plants that are being saved under the Cuomo-Schumer agreement, it’s little more than a reprieve of the Campbell plant's execution day by 12 to 24 months and the loss of these precious manufacturing jobs.  In other words, the Southern Tier gets the short end of the stick again - or in this case it feels more like the sharp end of a stick in the eye.

“New York State is investing $20 million to prevent the closure of three upstate Kraft-Heinz plants, with maybe, ‘maybe’ an option for 110 of the Campbell employees to relocate to Lowville.  Pack your snowmobile.  Great news for Lowville, but this merely shifts jobs out of the devastated Southern Tier.

“When will the Governor actually step up and do something for the beleaguered Southern Tier that he repeatedly acknowledges needs help.

“Once again, good jobs are being moved out of the Southern Tier.  Communities, farmers, families and small businesses are being shortchanged, uprooted and put at risk.  The ripple effect beyond the Kraft employees will be strongly felt by our dairy farms, trucking companies, and the property taxpayers.

“We have 12 to 24 months to find a buyer for the Campbell plant with the ‘help’ of Kraft?  Really!

“I applaud the efforts of Congressman Reed, Assemblyman Palmesano, Steuben IDA Director James Johnson and many other local leaders over these past few days since this news broke.

“It will be imperative that we continue doing anything and everything possible at the local, state and federal levels to keep this plant open in some capacity and protect as many jobs as we can for the long term.”        

[UPDATE: Read more in the:

Corning Leader, "Kraft plant to close; buyer sought"

Star-Gazette, "Say cheese: Deal could save Kraft-Heinz plant"]