January 12, 2006

US pork producer to expand hog processing operations

Premium Standard Farms, or PSF, the second largest pork producer in the US,

announced plans to expand its hog processing plant on Jan 10.

Expansion of the plant in Milan, a city in the mid-western state of Missouri is expected to begin in the next few months and will take a year to complete, according to media reports. The expansion will increase the plant's processing capacity by 35 percent from about 7,400 head a day to a maximum of 10,000 head per day according to communications manager Jason Helton.

The company currently employs about 1,000 workers at the Milan facility and the expansion project will add 50 jobs to the Milan plant.

However, some citizens are concerned that butchering 2,500 more hogs each day will mean more odour and pollutants. They are also questioning why the company did not spend money on new technologies that would decrease odours from the plant. In reply, PSF Officials say they are in compliance with government regulations.

The company plans to purchase hogs for the expanded plant from independent producers. That policy has been endorsed by the Missouri Pork Association but no local pork producers have been approved as yet.