Source:  Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 5/27/10

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue and Pilgrim's Pride on Wednesday announced the company will hire as many as 1,400 local workers and invest about $30 million to re-open its chicken processing complex in Douglas, Ga. by January 2011.

In early May, the company announced its intention to open the Douglas plant, along with two others it has not yet named.

Company executives joined Perdue and local and state officials in Douglas to officially kick off the re-opening of the plant, which is expected to process approximately 1.3 million chickens per week when it ramps up to full production by summer 2011.

Among those in attendance were Wesley Batista, president and chief executive officer of JBS USA, majority owner of Pilgrim's Pride; his brother Jose Batista Jr., a member of the board of directors of Pilgrim's Pride; and Jose Batista Sobrinho, their father and the founder of JBS S.A., parent firm of JBS USA.

Pilgrim's Pride expects to contract with approximately 160 local growers to supply the Douglas plant, according to a news release from Perdue's office.

Last week the company appointed John Haas as live production manager in Douglas. He will be responsible for the local pullet, breeder, hatchery, feed mill, grow-out and live haul operations. This week the first flock of pullets were set, which will grow into breeding stock.

Pilgrim's Pride employs about 41,000 people and operates chicken processing plants and prepared-foods facilities in 12 states, Puerto Rico and Mexico.

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