Talk of a possible closure or sale of Dresden’s Conagra tomato processing plant left the crowd buzzing during a Chatham-Kent mayoral and Ward 5 candidate event held Thursday night at Wallaceburg’s UAW Hall.
During the open mic part of the debate, a resident asked what could be done by the municipality to help keep the facility running, claiming employees have said the facility could be in danger of closing.
Several of the mayoral candidates were caught off-guard by the question and passed it off as hearsay, while others said they have heard rumblings from employees that tough times could be ahead.
Conagra has said nothing publicly about a possible closure or sale. CKXS News is attempting to get a hold of Conagra to get a statement about the Dresden facility’s future.
Other mayoral candidates said that possible concerns between Chatham-Kent and Conagra over wastewater issues, and suspected costs could be an issue.
Current Chatham-Kent mayor Darrin Canniff, who is running for reelection, clarified that the municipality and the province have been working with Conagra for some time to ensure the issue has been taken care of.
Conagra expanded its wastewater system in 2024.
Processing tomatoes has a long history in Dresden; Canadian Canners first started receiving tomatoes in Dresden in 1905. The current tomato processing facility in Dresden was built in 1947. Generations of workers have staffed the tomato plant, in both year-round and seasonal roles, and local farmers grow tomatoes for the plant.
