Global potato product producer Lamb Weston has posted its intention to layoff over 600 workers in Washington State, effective June 15th. Washington’s Employment Security Department issued a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) on June 8th.
Lamb Weston is one of the world’s largest frozen potato product producer companies. It provides potato products to restaurants and food service businesses, large and small. Think anything potato – mashed potatoes, baby red potatoes, french fries, waffle fries, tater tots, sweet potato fries, even deep-fried pickle spears – and you’re likely to think of a Lamb Weston product.
The WARN notice indicated that the number of workers affected would be 360 in Connell and 300 in Warden, both home to Lamb Weston potato processing plants.
Warden, WA, population 2,692, is a small town in Grant County, WA approximately 20 miles SE of Moses Lake. Connell, with a population of 5,566, is another 30 miles SE of Warden, in Franklin County. The Lamb Weston layoffs represent a job loss of 11% for Warden and 6.5% for Connell, which is also home to the Coyote Ridge Corrections Center.
The Employment Security Department will send staff from the local rapid response team and the WorkSource center to perform outreach to employees of Lamb Weston to ease the transition.