000879 Seaboard Farms Finds Site for New Hog Plant

Shawnee Mission, KS - Officials of Seaboard Farms, Inc. announced their second hog processing facility will be built in Elwood, Kan. The announcement comes after nearly three years of investigating the Great Bend, Kan. region as a possible site.

Rick Hoffman, CEO of Seaboard Farms, traveled to Great Bend to personally deliver the news, shortly after a press conference in Elwood, Kan. in which Seaboard Farms announced land had been purchased there for the facility.

“It's important to express my appreciation to this community for the support and hospitality they've given us over the last three years,” Hoffman said. “We've built strong friendships in the area, and Great Bend will remain on our list for consideration of any future expansion. Future expansion will likely include the area of 'further processing' in which the accessibility of live hogs is not an issue.”

Lack of available hogs in the Great Bend area was the primary reason Hoffman cited for choosing another location. Seaboard Farms' current processing facility requires approximately 16,000 hogs per day in order to operate at full capacity. With a full two-shifts per day, the new facility will process approximately four million hogs per year and employ over 2,300 hourly and salaried employees. Hoffman said it would be easier to obtain the needed hogs at the chosen site because it is closer to the Corn Belt. Without access to the hogs, Seaboard Farms would find it difficult to operate the facility at capacity.

However, during his visit to the city Hoffman stressed Great Bend, an area heavily in the running for the new plant location, would still be considered for further expansion because of its good location and the opportunities to attract a quality workforce. He added, “Great Bend is a fine community and we very much appreciate the encouragement of their civic leaders and citizen groups.”

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