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Del Monte Foods is set to close its fruit cannery in Modesto, California, marking the end of operations at a facility that has played a long-standing role in the agricultural economy of the state’s Central Valley.

The shutdown will affect approximately 600 year-round employees, along with an additional 1,200 seasonal workers during the peak harvest period. Employees were informed of the decision during meetings held at the Yosemite Boulevard plant earlier this week.

The closure follows Del Monte’s bankruptcy filing in July, after which the company auctioned off properties across the US. While Del Monte had previously indicated that it intended to keep the Modesto cannery operational, no buyer ultimately stepped forward to continue running the facility.

The Modesto plant processes peaches, apricots and pears, providing a critical outlet for local growers. County agricultural officials warn that the closure will have significant ripple effects across the regional farming community, particularly for fruit crops that require hand harvesting and have limited alternative processing options.

The nearest remaining fruit cannery is Pacific Coast Producers’ facility in Lodi. Although Pacific Coast Producers purchased millions of dollars’ worth of Del Monte’s warehoused inventory, it did not acquire or assume operations of the Modesto site.

Local officials say the loss of the cannery will be felt well beyond the plant itself, impacting farm workers, growers, suppliers and the wider Modesto economy. The facility has been a major employer in the area for decades.

Employees at the Modesto cannery are represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Union leaders say workers are still awaiting clarity on severance arrangements and next steps following the closure announcement.

The City of Modesto has confirmed it has not yet received a WARN notice related to the shutdown and said it has no additional information at this time.