November 21, 2005

Cargill's Excel plant to resume hog processing
 

Excel Corp, a division of Cargill Inc, plans to resume hog processing Monday at its Ottumwa, Iowa, pork plant but will work shortened shifts that day and probably again Tuesday, according to company spokesman Mark Klein.

An accident last Wednesday morning that killed one worker forced the plant to halt hog-processing operations through the balance of the week while the accident was being investigated.

An email response to questions, about when the plant would be able to resume hog processing operations, said "repairs began over the weekend and should be finished Monday morning".

"We plan to harvest hogs Monday on the first shift, but do not have a definitive time right now," Klein said. The plant will run short shifts on the day and night operations. Short shifts will probably be the case on Tuesday as well, he said.

Operations should return to normal levels by Wednesday, Klein said.

The plant can process about 18,500 head on a daily basis, according to industry sources.