January 31, 2008

Pilgrim's Pride to open Louisiana feed mill

The new Pilgrim's Pride Corporation's Natchitoches complex in Louisiana will be officially opened on Friday.

The construction began on January 2006 on a 250-acre site leased from the city of Natchitoches by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

The US$18-million feed mill will employ around 30 people with large grain storage facilities to allow significant purchases of locally-grown grain.

The company's new facility will be located along the Union Pacific Railway and is capable of handling 110-car unit trains.

Officials estimate 3.5 million bushels of Louisiana-produced corn and soy to be bought annually by the mill.

Per week, the mill will have the capacity to produce 6,000 tonnes of poultry feed.

This year, Pilgrim's Pride was included in Forbes' list of 400 best big companies in the US.