Pilgrim's Pride to Build New Poultry Processing Plant

Bo Pilgrim, CEO of Pilgrim's Pride Corporation, has announced that the company is filing a permit application for a new poultry processing and by-product recovery complex to be constructed on a 4,000 acre tract of land 4 miles north of Pittsburgh in Camp County, Texas

Mr. Pilgrim stated, "We are taking an environmentally friendly approach to the design of this new complex.''

The new complex will feature the following:

• All wastewater will be treated and then injected using Class 1, non-hazardous deep wells approximately 6,000 feet below the site into underground saltwater formations. Thus, there will be no direct discharge of wastewater to surface waters.
• The by-product (rendering) recovery facility will be designed to take maximum advantage of all by-product recovery opportunities, including the processing of all wastewater sludge. Poultry mortality from company and contract chicken farms will also be rendered in the new facility. Additionally, treated wastewater will be reused to meet most water needs in the rendering plant.
• The processing plant will be designed to take maximum advantage of the opportunities for water reuse now and in the future. Piping systems will be installed that will allow reuse at certain locations based on USDA-approved technologies.
• Water for the new complex will be obtained through wells drilled on the site, in the interim. Long term plans include a 365-acre lake constructed on Walker Creek.
• A planned community will be constructed on a portion of the site to provide affordable housing and services for employees. The community will include approximately 400 affordable housing units, park and recreation facilities, a school, a church, and a convenience store. This type of community has been implemented successfully in other areas, and shows commitment to addressing all aspects of the project with a positive overall impact on the existing infrastructure.

The construction of this new complex is being announced in the midst of a series of meetings that are being held to inform contract growers of changes that will be included in the next round of grower contracts as of Jan. 1, 1998. Contracts with growers will require the implementation of best management practices relating to the management of poultry litter and poultry mortality. The best management practices include the use of incineration, composting, or rendering to handle poultry mortality, and provide guidelines to assure that poultry litter is land applied for beneficial reuse, with no negative environmental impact.

The construction of the new complex coupled with the upgrading of the Pilgrim's Pride Corporation's Mt. Pleasant Wastewater Treatment System will include the removal of nutrients, which will have a net positive impact on water quality by reducing the nutrient loadings. Specifically, total nitrogen loadings attributed to Pilgrim's Pride Corporation processing facilities will be reduced by over 90 percent.

"We believe we have addressed all possible issues associated with the construction of this new complex. We are committed to operate with positive impacts as relates to the environment, the infrastructure, and the economy. We are hopeful that our efforts will be received favorably so we can receive all necessary permits as soon as possible and move forward based on market conditions with this very important project for the state of Texas,'' stated Bo Pilgrim.