The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the acquisition by JBS USA of a Greeley, Colo. Lamb processing plant. The plant, formerly owned by Mountain States Rosen, had been acquired by JBS at a bankruptcy auction earlier this year. The company had announced plans to close the facility and reopen it in the future as a beef further-processing facility.
According to the Deseret News, a group of lamb producers had petitioned the Trump administration to intervene in the acquisition. The plant processes over 300,000 lambs from 15 states. Other nearby facilities are already at capacity. It employs approximately 222 people, who would be laid off when the plant closes.