SALISBURY, MD. — Perdue Farms is closing its Booth Creek Natural Chicken plant in Fredericksburg, Pa., in an initiative to modernize the company’s processing plants and capacity.

The company said the facility will close on or shortly after March 14, and the lease for a distribution center in Denver, Pa., that serves the plant will not be renewed.

“As we increased our focus on premium brands and products, we freed up capacity across our supply chain, which led us to look at how we could align our assets to more efficiently serve all of our customers,” said Lester Gray, senior vice-president of operations for Perdue Foods. “When we looked at our long-term needs, it became clear that the B.C.N.C. plant would require significant and costly upgrades, and even then, we would not overcome the age and physical limitations of the facility.”

Perdue said the changes would not impact the company’s organic live production in Pennsylvania. The company plans help its other Pennsylvania growers to transition to organic poultry production. Additionally, the company is contracting with local farmers as it develops a breeder operation in Pennsylvania.