MENDOTA – It’s not often someone will pay you to take their land, but that’s the deal the city of Mendota has worked out with Del Monte.

At a special Mendota City Council meeting on March 22, it was announced that the city has come to an agreement with Del Monte Foods to take ownership of approximately 77 acres of Del Monte land plus retention ponds. And the best part of the deal is that Del Monte is paying the city $3,950,000 to do so.

City attorney Mike Guilfoyle said he anticipates closing on the property to take place in two to three weeks.

“The turnaround should be quick,” said Mayor David Boelk. “Title work will be the main thing that will have to be done.”

It was in August 2019 that Del Monte abruptly announced it would cease production at the end of the 2019 pack season with full closure in June 2020.

The Mendota facility was constructed in 1949 and spans 431 acres. Mendota’s fresh pack products included peas, peas & carrots, cream style corn, whole kernel corn, mixed vegetables, corn specialties and lima beans. Mendota also produced broth and dry beans outside of the fresh packing season. The workforce consisted of 31 salaried and 106 regular hourly employees with a peak seasonal headcount of approximately 550 employees.