US: Turkey hatchery to close to pre-empt turndown
Minnesota: Willmar Poultry Company (WPC), operational name AgForte, is to close its Marshall hatchery, which produces turkey breeders, sometime next month.
“Sustained high commodity prices and turkey cooler inventories will present significant challenges to our customers for 2013, which directly impacts our breeding and hatchery business,” the company said in a press release. “Our industry is cyclical in nature, with years of contraction ultimately following years of growth. Ag Forte understands this cycle and has proactively prepared for the current downturn to maintain our business and operational efficiencies.”
WPC is an affiliate of Life Science Innovations.
According to Rick VanderSpeck, president and CEO of Ag Sector, Life Science Innovations, the hatchery was originally built by the Swift company, which owned the Butterball Turkey label at the time, and was built sometime in the late 1950s or early 1960s. WPC acquired the company in 1989.
VanderSpeck said there has been no decision at present as to the final disposition of the building and expects to leave the equipment in place for the foreseeable future.
“If and when the equipment is removed, we most likely will then put the real estate up for sale,” VanderSpeck said.
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