Cobb-Vantress building $22 million feed mill in South Carolina

Siloam Springs-based Cobb-Vantress, Inc. – the poultry research and development firm and subsidiary of Tyson Foods, Inc. – says it will begin construction on a new $22 million feed mill in Laurens County, South Carolina early in 2016, with completion planned towards the middle of 2017. The new state-of-the-art mill will create 12 new jobs and supply breeder farms in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

“We want to ensure that we have a long-term internal feed supply that will give us complete control over the consistency and quality of the end product,” said Dr. Steve Bolden, director of world technical services for Cobb.

“This is Cobb’s third feed mill in the U.S., the others being in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, and in Albany, Kentucky. With the completion of the Joanna feed mill, we will internally produce all of our feed supply for pedigree operations through to grandparents.”

Based on current needs, the mill will produce around 1,200 tons per week using the latest technology for pathogen reduction including a ‘hygieniser’ for heat treating the feed ingredients before pelleting, the company said in a press release.

Another important feature will be a dedicated rail spur in order for supplies to be transported from other production regions in the U.S. Grain may also be used from the local market for delivery by truck.