Northern Beef to open plant in late 2009

Northern Beef Packers will open its plant in Aberdeen, South Dakota, in August or September this year, the company's principal said.

Principal Dennis Hellwig said the plant has many problems but it will be built and opened.

The facility is nearly a year behind schedule and contractors have filed liens of US$7 million against it.

The US$40 million facility is expected to process 1,500 head of livestock per day and employ about 650 people once fully operational.

The beef plant's opening has been delayed several times.