Century-old Washington fruit company lays off dozens of workers

For more than a century, Blue Bird Inc. has been part of Washington’s fruit industry, supplying pears, apples, and cherries from the Wenatchee Valley. But the longtime agricultural company is now making significant workforce cuts as seasonal operations wind down in 2026.

Blue Bird announces layoffs in Wenatchee

Blue Bird Inc. filed a WARN notice with Washington state officials announcing layoffs affecting 82 workers at its Wenatchee facility. The layoffs are scheduled to begin on or after May 16, 2026. (

According to the filing, the cuts impact seasonal production employees involved in packaging, sanitation, quality control, segregation, and box machine operations. The company stated that affected employees do not have bumping rights and are not represented by a union.

Blue Bird described the layoffs as permanent seasonal separations tied to the end of the production season. The company also stated the reductions are not connected to outsourcing or relocation efforts. 

Washington agriculture industry facing pressure

The layoffs highlight growing concerns surrounding employment stability in Washington’s agricultural and food processing industries. Fruit packing facilities often rely heavily on seasonal labor during harvest periods before reducing staffing once production slows. 

Wenatchee and surrounding Central Washington communities have seen multiple agricultural WARN notices in recent months as growers and packers respond to changing market conditions, labor costs, and fluctuating demand. 

Blue Bird has operated in Washington state since 1913 and remains one of the region’s longstanding fruit-growing and packing companies. The business is known for producing pears, apples, and cherries distributed throughout the U.S. and international markets. 

Seasonal layoffs becoming more visible

Washington’s updated WARN reporting requirements have also brought increased attention to seasonal agricultural layoffs that may not have received widespread notice in prior years. State officials now publish more detailed layoff notices through Washington’s WARN database. 

While seasonal workforce reductions are common in the fruit industry, the layoffs still represent another economic hit for workers in Central Washington’s agriculture-dependent communities. 

Links on this page may be affiliate links, for which the site earns a small commission, but the price for you is the same