Cargill's Wichita-based pork business announced it has completed a transaction to acquire a 21,500-acre hog production site near Dalhart, Texas, from the Premium Standard Farms LLC subsidiary of Smithfield Foods Inc. for approximately $33 million. The facilities, which have been idle since spring 2010, will be used to produce pigs that will be transferred to Midwest grow-out facilities after they are weaned. These pigs will then become a portion of the animals Cargill Pork harvests annually at its two meat processing facilities in Beardstown, Ill., and Ottumwa, Iowa.
"In considering this site, we carefully examined factors that are important to us for long-term viability, such as environmental stewardship and animal welfare practices," stated Dirk Jones, president of Cargill Pork. "Evaluation of a strategic decision such as this requires that we consider what is right, and best, for the community, the animals, the environment, our customers and our business."