New Packing Plants Moving Forward in Nebraska and Missouri
The North Platte, Neb., city council approved the sale of 80 acres to its Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA) this week for $142,500. Under a contract signed in March, the CRA was to purchase the land and then sell it to Sustainable Beef under tax increment financing for the infrastructure of the new plant.
All the financing for the plant's construction must be secured before work can begin, and Sustainable Beef is required to sign a construction contract with the CRA. Sustainable Beef, LLC, is estimated to be a $325 million project that when finished would slaughter 1,500 head per day.
Earlier this week American Foods Group announced it would break ground on its new 2,400-head per day plant in east central Missouri. That is a $450 million plant that would employ 1,300 workers.
If both the Sustainable Beef and AFG plants are completed, their combined 3,900 head per day slaughter would increase the industry’s daily capacity by about 3%, and increase annual slaughter by 1 million head. The earliest either of the plants could come online is by the end of 2024.