Northern Beef Packers beef plant delayed yet again

Years in the making, the opening of Northern Beef Packers' new facility has been pushed back to February 2009. Flooding in the area had already delayed a scheduled summer opening until November.

Dennis Hellwig of Northern Beef Packers told the Aberdeen News that although financing has not been finalised, the main setback has been weather, as consistent rains throughout the summer have slowed construction.

Meanwhile, a US$2.1 million mechanic's lien filed this spring against the company by a contractor remains unsettled, one in a series of challenges that has faced the project going as far back as 2006.

The US$40 million plant will initially process 200 to 250 head of cattle per day and employ 300 workers. In the long run, the plant is expected to process 1,500 head of cattle daily and employ 550 workers.