Brenham-based Blue Bell Creameries announced today it will lay off more than one-third of its workforce, as it struggles to bring its production back online after listeria contamination was found in its ice cream products and at several of its plants.
Three deaths have been linked to the contamination.
750 full-time and 700 part-time workers will be laid off. That represents 37 percent of the company's 3,900 employees.
Another 1,400 workers will be furloughed. The company says it's taking longer than expected to clean its plants and bring production back up to standards.
Blue Bell CEO Paul Kruse announced what he called an "agonizing decision" in a video today.
