Turkey is back on the menu at the former Foster Farms plant in Turlock that closed this May and took with it 500 local jobs.

Marijke Rowland

The Modesto FOCUS

The Diestel Family Ranch, a longtime Sonora-based specialty turkey producer, has taken over the Turlock site and plans to reopen the facility early next year.

“We’re very excited about the opportunities this brings and look forward to resuming operations in the near future,” said Heidi Diestel, whose family has run its turkey farm for four generations. “Our team is grateful for the support we’ve received from the community and eager to continue contributing to the region’s strong agricultural tradition.”

Foster Farms announced at the start of this year that it would close its Turlock fresh turkey processing facility in May. The

See Full Page