Photo above: A San Joaquins passenger train passing the C&H sugar refinery buildings in Crockett, California, July 2025. George Luchs, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
No closure has been announced. The C&H refinery went through a strike in June and July 2026, and the company and union agreed to keep bargaining through September 30, 2026, with workers back on the job in the meantime.
If you own in Crockett or are thinking about buying, here is what is on the record, who said it, and what nobody knows yet.
Why does the refinery matter so much in Crockett?
Because the town grew up around it. The plant sits on the waterfront at the foot of town, and C&H’s parent, ASR Group, says it has operated for nearly 120 years and employs about 365 union workers (ASR Group, C&H Sugar message, July 17, 2026).
It also shares infrastructure with the town. The Philip F. Meads Water Treatment Plant on Loring Avenue is used jointly by C&H and the Crockett Community Services District to treat wastewater before it is discharged to the Carquinez Strait (Crockett Community Services District website, checked September 25, 2026; CEQAnet notice 2026080637, received August 19, 2026).
What happened with the strike in 2026?
Warehouse workers walked out on June 15 and went back on July 30 (FreightWaves, August 3, 2026). Local News Matters put the number of striking warehouse workers at 93 (July 27, 2026); the ILWU’s joint release with C&H says Local 6 represents approximately 100 warehouse workers at the plant (ILWU news release, July 27, 2026). On July 27, 2026, the union and C&H announced a 60-day period of continued negotiations with senior executives, running through September 30, 2026. As part of that deal, Local 6 agreed to return to work during the period and C&H agreed to withdraw its declaration of impasse (ILWU news release, July 27, 2026).
The main issues reported were retiree health benefits, overtime rules and sick days (FreightWaves, August 3, 2026).
What does C&H say about the plant’s future?
The company framed it as a question of efficiency. In its July 17, 2026 message, ASR Group said “the long-term viability of our Crockett refinery depends on our ability to operate efficiently and sustainably.” It also said more than 40% of U.S. sugar mills, refineries and beet factories have shut since 2000 (ASR Group, C&H Sugar message, July 17, 2026).
Read that for what it is: the company’s position during a labor dispute. It is not a closure notice.
Where do the talks stand today?
Still inside the 60-day window as of September 25, 2026. The agreed bargaining period ends September 30, 2026 (ILWU news release, July 27, 2026). What happens after that date is not public yet.
Two places to watch: the ASR Group newsroom at asr-group.com/news and the ILWU site at ilwu.org. For independent coverage, Local News Matters and KQED both followed the strike.
Does the refinery affect Crockett home prices?
Nobody can tell you that with data, and I won’t guess. What we can show is the recent record. Crockett’s median sale price in August 2026 was $729,517, up 8.1% from a year earlier, on just 8 sales (Redfin, Crockett housing market page, August 2026, checked September 24, 2026). That covers the strike months, but 8 sales is far too few to read the refinery into it either way.
If you are weighing a purchase, price the home on recent sales of similar homes on nearby streets, and make a plan you are comfortable with whatever the plant does.
What should I check if I’m buying near the plant?
Treat it like any home next to a working industrial site. Check it with your own eyes and ears.
- Visit at different times. Go on a weekday morning, a weekday evening and a weekend. Listen for truck and rail traffic on Loring Avenue and the waterfront.
- Read the disclosures. Sellers must give you a Natural Hazard Disclosure and their own disclosure statements. Ask questions about anything you do not understand.
- Look at the permits. The plant’s wastewater permit is issued by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board and was up for reissuance in 2026 (CEQAnet notice 2026080637, received August 19, 2026). The agency’s records are public.
- Get alerts. Sign up for Contra Costa Health’s Community Warning System at cwsalerts.com.
For any health question, talk to your doctor or Contra Costa Health. For a question about a disclosure or a contract term, talk to a real estate attorney.
I own a home in Crockett. Should I sell because of the refinery news?
That is your call, and it should not be a panic move. Labor news is not a reason by itself to list or to wait. Look at what your home would likely sell for today, what you would buy next, and your own timeline. If it helps, we can pull a free value estimate and show you the recent Crockett sales behind it.
Questions people also ask
Is C&H Sugar leaving Crockett?
No plan to leave or close has been announced. ASR Group, which owns C&H, said on July 17, 2026 that the Crockett refinery’s long-term viability depends on running efficiently. That statement came during a labor dispute and is the company’s position, not a closure notice. Watch the ASR Group newsroom and the ILWU site for news after September 30, 2026.
Why did C&H workers go on strike in 2026?
About 93 warehouse workers represented by ILWU Local 6 struck in June 2026, according to Local News Matters. Reported issues included retiree health benefits, overtime rules and sick days. On July 27, 2026 the union and C&H agreed to 60 more days of bargaining through September 30, 2026, and workers returned to work during that period, per the ILWU.
How many people work at the C&H refinery?
ASR Group’s July 17, 2026 message says the Crockett refinery has about 365 union employees: about 275 in the Sugar Workers Union and about 90 in ILWU Local 6. The message gives no count for non-union staff, so treat 365 as the union figure, not total employment.
Does the sugar refinery share anything with the town?
Yes, wastewater treatment. The Philip F. Meads Water Treatment Plant on Loring Avenue is used jointly by C&H and the Crockett Community Services District, and treated water is discharged to the Carquinez Strait under a Regional Water Board permit. The permit reissuance notice was filed with the state on August 19, 2026, per CEQAnet.
Your next step
Own in Crockett, or looking? Send us the address. We’ll pull the recent sales around it and the disclosures to ask for, and you decide from there. Talk with our team about Crockett or call (510) 949-5525.
More on Crockett: Is Crockett a good place to live? · Crockett market update · What’s my home worth?
By Bill Davis, DRE #01880656, The Davis Team at eXp Realty, Crockett, CA. Updated September 25, 2026.
Sources
- ASR Group, “What’s at Stake for the Crockett Refinery: A Message From C&H Sugar,” July 17, 2026: asr-group.com/news
- ILWU, “ILWU Local 6 and C&H Sugar Company, Inc. Take Steps Toward Resolving the Parties’ Contract Negotiations,” July 27, 2026: ilwu.org
- Local News Matters, C&H strike coverage, July 27, 2026: localnewsmatters.org
- FreightWaves, “Sugar strike that prompted ports shutdown ends, longshore union returns to negotiations,” August 3, 2026: freightwaves.com
- Crockett Community Services District, sanitary department pages: town.crockett.ca.us (checked September 25, 2026)
- CEQAnet, notice 2026080637 (Regional Water Board wastewater permit reissuance, Philip F. Meads Water Treatment Plant), received August 19, 2026: ceqanet.opr.ca.gov
- Redfin, Crockett housing market page, August 2026: redfin.com/city/22185/CA/Crockett/housing-market (checked September 24, 2026)
- Contra Costa Health, Community Warning System: cwsalerts.com (checked September 25, 2026)