Pilgrim’s to close Batesville plant

Arkansas is widely known as a poultry producing state but one of the nation’s largest chicken company’s continues to move its business elsewhere.

Pilgrim’s Pride, based in Greeley, Colo., announced plans to close a processing plant in Batesville in the next 60 days as employees received their WARN letters this week as required by the federal Worker Adjustment and Restraining Act.

The plant closure will impact 470 workers.

The poultry company has been streamlining operations for several years to rein in excess capacity in older, commodity-oriented facilities, as the chicken industry pursues higher margin products.

Last week Pilgrims said it was also closing a rendering facility in El Dorado, and shifting those operations to a plant in east Texas. That closure eliminate 29 jobs.

Ozark Mountain Poultry-based in Rogers is reportedly pursing the Pilgrim’s facility in Batesville. This firm is a further processor and does not own its own grow out operations. OMP performs deboning operations and employs 600 workers in Springdale and Rogers.