County gets $1.1 million for roads near Wayne Farms mill

The State of Alabama has awarded a $1.1 million grant to Dale County to make road improvements for access to the Wayne Farms feed mill that is being built in the county.
According to a Southeast Sun report, The Alabama Department of Transportation’s Industrial Access Committee awarded the grant to the county, which is to be used for access and turning lane upgrades at County Road 18’s intersections at the U.S. 231 and Alabama 123 highways. Dale County Commission Chairman said that upgrades to those roads are required for the expected 200 to 300 trucks that will travel daily to the feed mill.
Wayne Farms broke ground on the new feed mill, which will be located near the Alabama community of Ozark in August, with plans for construction of the mill to be completed by the beginning of 2017.
The new feed mill has been designed to handle Wayne Farms’ expanding business needs, in light of its 42,000 square-foot Wayne Farms fresh processing facility’s expansion in Dothan, Alabama.
When fully operational, the feed mill is expected to have a weekly output of 25,

Wayne Farms donates $175,000 to Auburn's Dept. of Poultry Science

Wayne Farms LLC, the sixth-largest vertically integrated poultry producer in the U.S., has pledged $175,000 to the construction of a state-of-the-art poultry research unit at Auburn University.

“We’re happy to invest in a new farm facility that will thrive, not only now, but for the next several decades,” Wayne Farms President and CEO Elton Maddox said in presenting the gift to Auburn College of Agriculture and Department of Poultry Science administrators. “The ability to support innovative ideas and research is an opportunity Wayne Farms proudly stands behind.”

The new facilities will replace Auburn’s existing Poultry Research Farm, which was built more than 40 years ago.

“We’re very appreciative of this gift to help improve our capabilities within the poultry research field,” said Don Conner, head of the poultry science department at Auburn. “Because we strive to integrate all aspects of the poultry industry’s ‘farm-to-fork’ process, we know investments in this farm facility positively impact both food and poultry science instruction, research and extension.”

Wayne Farms has long been involved with Auburn’s poultry science program and has hired numerous Auburn Students through its summer internship program in recent years.  This past summer, three Auburn University poultry science students and one food science major interned with Wayne Farms LLC, and it was a win-win situation for both students and company.

The four Auburn students impressed Wayne Farms executives during their formal internship presentations at the end of their experience.

“We were able to work on different projects and experience multiple facets of the industry through our internships with Wayne Farms,” said Jessica Haverkampf, a junior in the poultry science’s production program.

Food Science major, Kayla Fromhold, also shared about her internship with Wayne Farms.  “I got so much experience from my superior when working with Wayne Farms’ food quality and assurance,” Fromhold said. “I know I had a really well rounded food science experience, and was able to learn many skills I’ll take with me beyond the internship, which is very valuable.”

Amber Allen, who graduated in the Spring of 2015, was one of the poultry science interns. She went on to become a full-time employee at Wayne Farms.

Conner said the poultry science department at Auburn is dedicated to producing graduates who are ready for the real world.  “Collaboration between industry partners like Wayne Farms is incredibly important for our students in giving them invaluable hands-on industry experience,” Conner said.

“We are so proud to see our students excel in their internships. Each graduate from our program is well-positioned to then enter the workforce with the knowledge and skills they need to contribute to the industry.”

In a meeting at Wayne Farms’ headquarters to announce the company’s generous gift to the new research facility, Wayne Farms executives and Auburn University college leaders discussed industry research needs, research unit capabilities and innovative construction ideas that will extend the usability of the new unit.

Among those present were, from Auburn, Conner and College of Agriculture Interim Dean Arthur Appel and, from Wayne Farms, Maddox, Vice President and General Manager of Prepared Foods Division John Flood and Vice President and COO Clint Rivers.

“We need to help build agriculture programs and provide the mechanisms that strengthen research,” Maddox said.

During a visit to campus in early September, Wayne Farms’ South Alabama Complex officials, led by Auburn University alumnus and director of nutrition and research Thomas Frost, presented the first installment of the company’s donation. During that visit, they also interacted with students and staff and learned more about the poultry programs their gift will benefit directly.

10 Wayne Farms facilities receive safety awards

Ten Wayne Farms’ facilities were recently honored by the Joint Industry Safety and Health Council for outstanding safety performance by implementing innovative and effective safety and health programs at the 2015 National Safety Conference for the Poultry Industry.

The award levels are based on an evaluation of each eligible facility’s actual safety performance as well as a written evaluation of key components of an effective safety and health program.

The Award of Distinction, the highest accolade available, was presented to nine Wayne Farms’ facilities which include two prepared foods plants both located in Decatur, AL; three hatcheries located in Troy, AL, Laurel, MS, and Elkin, NC; four fresh processing plants in Union Springs, AL, Dothan, AL, Enterprise, AL and Pendergrass, GA.

The Pendergrass fresh processing plant won the Award of Distinction for the sixth consecutive year and four of the facilities moved up from the Award of Honor to Award of Distinction. The Award of Honor was bestowed upon the Danville, AR Hatchery.

“Year after year our employees work diligently together to further strengthen the safety measures at each of our facilities and this year was no different,” says Reggie McLee, Director of Safety and Loss Prevention for Wayne Farms.  “We are extremely proud that more Wayne Farms’ facilities received the Award of Distinction than any other year.  This accomplishment is taken with the highest regards and is a true testament to our dedicated employees and their passion for safety in the workplace.”

In addition to traditional safety practices, Wayne Farms has implemented a behavior based safety initiative called WorkSAFE, which empowers employees to identify and address unsafe behaviors, conditions, and actions through regular audits, evaluations, and collaboration with Wayne Farms Management members.

Award consideration was based on injury statistics over three years and an evaluation of written applications by two judges: Doug Britton, program manager for Agricultural Technology Research at Georgia Tech Research Institute and George Nassif of Aon Global Risk Consulting.

The Joint Industry Safety and Health Council are comprised of members from the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, National Chicken Council and National Turkey Federation. Collectively, the three organizations represent companies that produce 95 percent of the nation’s poultry products and employ over 350,000 workers.
For complete list of safety award winners, click here.

Wayne Farms hiring up to 500 for expanded plant

Wayne Farms in August will begin hiring between 400 and 500 people to work at its fresh processing facility in Dothan, Alabama.
The company announced plans to expand the plant in May. That expansion is expected to double the facility’s capacity and includes building an additional 42,000 square feet for the already existing structure. Construction related to the plant expansion began in June and is expected to be completed in 2016.
At the present time, the company employs about 356 workers at the facility, which includes a slaughter and cut-up line, according to a report from the Dothan Eagle. The jobs to become available in August will include production and maintenance workers.
The expansion is expected to restore jobs at the facility that were lost after the company announced in 2014 it was discontinuing its deboning lines there.
The facility was built in 1968 and was a Sunnyland pork production facility. The plant was sold in 1986 and converted to a Showell Farms poultry plant. It was sold in 1995 to Perdue Farms and eventually sold again in 2013 to Wayne Farms.
According to the WATTAgNet Top Poultry Companies Database, Wayne Farms processes 335.4 million birds annually. It has nine slaughter plants, nine hatcheries, eight feed mills and 3,575 growout houses. It is the sixth largest broiler company in the United States.

Wayne Farms delays $250 million initial public offering

Wayne Farms decided on June 25 to postpone its previously announced initial public offering (IPO).
The sixth largest broiler company in the United States had sought to raise $250 million by offering 12.8 million shares at a price ranging from $18 to $21. However, Wayne Farms, a subsidiary of the privately-held Continental Grain Co., stated in an email that current market conditions were not conducive to an IPO.
“Although we are disappointed, the current overall market conditions are not favorable for the company to receive an appropriate valuation at this time.  We are committed to executing our business plan and have the financial strength to make this plan a reality.  Wayne Farms management continues to enjoy the strong support and access to the resources of Continental Grain.  We believe that our decision to withdraw the IPO will not impact our ability to meet our growth objectives," stated Courtney Fazekas, Chief Financial Officer of Wayne Farms."
Paul Fribourg, chairman and CEO of Continental Grain, stated in November 2014 that it was considering an IPO for Wayne Farms as a way to gain capital as the current commodities cycle takes another turn.
J.P. Morgan and BMO Capital Markets were set to be the joint bookrunners on the deal.
Wayne Farms had planned to list on the NASDAQ exchange under the symbol WNFM.
Wayne Farms, according to the WATTAgNet Top Poultry Companies Database, in 2014 processed 45.39 million pounds of ready-to-cook chicken on a weekly basis. The company operates nine slaughter plants, nine hatcheries, eight feed mills and 3,575 growout houses.

Wayne Farms seeks to raise $250 million in IPO

Wayne Farms plans to raise $250 million by offering 12.8 million shares at a price range of $18 to $21. The poultry company, which in March filed for an initial public offering (IPO), on June 15 released the terms of the IPO.
According to a NASDAQ report, the U.S. poultry company has plans to list on the NASDAQ exchange under the symbol WNFM.
Citi, J.P. Morgan and BMO Capital Markets have been named as the joint bookrunners on the deal, which is expected to price during the week of June 22.
The IPO follows earlier comments made by Paul Fribourg, chairman and CEO of Wayne Farms parent company Continental Grain Company, who in November 2014 stated that he viewed a Wayne Farms IPO as a way to gain capital as the current commodities cycle takes another turn.
Wayne Farms, according to the WATT Global Media Top Companies Database, is the sixth largest broiler company in the United States. In 2014, the company processed 45.39 million pounds of ready-to-cook chicken on a weekly basis. Wayne Farms has nine slaughter plants, nine hatcheries, eight feed mills and 3,575 growout houses.
Wayne Farms was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Oakwood, Georgia.

Wayne Farms expanding fresh processing facility

Poultry company Wayne Farms will be expanding its fresh processing facility in Dothan, Alabama.
The expansion will double the facility’s capacity and includes building an additional 42,000 square-feet to the already existing structure and adding a minimum of 500 jobs to the local area. The project is tentatively scheduled for completion in the middle of 2016.
Clint Rivers, chief operating officer for Wayne Farms stated: “Wayne Farms is excited for the opportunity to expand our business and bring jobs to the local area. With the rising demand for chicken we have an opportunity to increase our output.”
The Dothan plant consists of a 105,000 square-foot fresh processing facility and employs 356 people from the surrounding area.
The expansion is expected to restore jobs at the facility that were lost after the company announced in 2014 it was discontinuing its deboning lines there.
The facility was built in 1968 and was a Sunnyland pork production facility, reported the Dothan Eagle. The plant was sold in 1986 and converted to a Showell Farms poultry plant. It was sold in 1995 to Perdue Farms and eventually sold again in 2013 to Wayne Farms.
According to the WATT Global Media Top Companies database, Wayne Farms processes 335.4 million birds annually. It has nine slaughter plants, nine hatcheries, eight feed mills and 3,575 growout houses.

Wayne Farms files for initial public offering

Wayne Farms, the sixth largest broiler company in the United States, has filed a registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to raise up to $100 million in an initial public offering (IPO) of Class A common stock.
The company did not specify the number of shares to be sold and the pricing.
It has not been revealed which exchange Wayne Farms plans to list its shares, but said it plans to trade under the symbol WNFM, according to an RTT News report.
The move to file for an IPO follows earlier statements made by Paul Fribourg, CEO of Wayne Farms’ parent company Continental Grain. He said that an IPO may be a way for the company to gain capital as commodity markets continue to change.
“We were at the low of the commodities cycle in chicken, because grain prices were very high and chicken prices were low. So there was an opportunity to go out and buy very cheap chicken companies,” Fribourg said at a forum in November. “Today the cycle has gone to the other extreme, where you have incredibly high chicken prices and very low grain prices. It’s not going to last. So at the top of the cycle we’re now looking at ways to lock in either long-term margins, or possibly, for example, take our chicken company public.”
According to the WATT Global Media Top Companies database, Wayne Farms processes 335.4 million birds annually. It has nine slaughter plants, nine hatcheries, eight feed mills and 3,575 growout houses.

Continental Grain may sell stake in Wayne Farms

The chairman and CEO of Continental Grain Company said the company may sell its stake in its poultry company, Wayne Farms. Paul Fribourg said an initial public offering for the sixth largest poultry company in the United States is a possibility as he sees it as a way to gain capital as the current commodities cycle takes another turn.
Fribourg added that the poultry industry’s future may not be as profitable as its past and present, according to a Financial Times report.
“We were at the low of the commodities cycle in chicken, because grain prices were very high and chicken prices were low. So there was an opportunity to go out and buy very cheap chicken companies,” Fribourg said at a forum in New York. “Today the cycle has gone to the other extreme, where you have incredibly high chicken prices and very low grain prices. It’s not going to last. So at the top of the cycle we’re now looking at ways to lock in either long-term margins, or possibly, for example, take our chicken company public.”
Continental Grain Company, founded in 1813, is a leading investor in food and commodities, having taken stakes in companies including Burger King and Smithfield Foods.
Wayne Farms, headquartered in Oakwood, Georgia, processes 328 million chickens annually, according to the WATT Global Media Top Companies Database.

Wayne Farms cited for 11 safety violations, fined $102,600

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  File photo

  Wayne Farms has been issued 11 citations for safety violations at its plant in Jack, Alabama.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Wayne Farms has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for exposing workers at its plant in Jack, Alabama, to dangerous machinery, fall and musculoskeletal disorder hazards. OSHA issued 11 citations to the poultry processing plant, including nine serious, one repeat and one other-than serious violation. Proposed penalties against Wayne Farms amount to $102,600.
  The investigation was initiated after OSHA received a complaint from the Southern Poverty Law Center.
  "OSHA found that workers in this plant were exposed to safety and musculoskeletal hazards and suffered serious injuries as a result. The outcome of this investigation deepened our concern about musculoskeletal hazards in poultry plants, where employees are at increased risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome and other disorders that affect the nerves, muscles and tendons," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels."These types of injuries are preventable by implementing appropriate engineering and administrative controls in the workplace, and when they occur, they must be treated early with appropriate medical care to prevent the illness from progressing. However, in this plant, OSHA found workers were often required to seek assistance from the company's on-site nurse many times before they were referred to a physician."
  Wayne Farms, according to an OSHA spokesman, also failed to record injuries and properly manage the treatment of injured employees at the plant in Jack.
  "By failing to report injuries, failing to refer employees to physicians and discouraging employees from seeking medical treatment, Wayne Farms effectively concealed the extent to which these poultry plant workers were suffering work-related injuries and illnesses. And as a result, it reported an artificially lower injury and illness rate," said Joseph Roesler, OSHA’s area director in Mobile, Alabama.
  One repeat violation, with a penalty of $38,500, was cited for the employer's failure to protect workers from moving parts of a machine during servicing and maintenance work.
  Seven serious violations, carrying penalties of $49,000, involve exposing workers to serious safety hazards, including unguarded machines, slippery floors and fall hazards. In addition, OSHA issued two more serious general duty clause citations for musculoskeletal disorder hazards with penalties of $14,000. One general duty clause citation was issued for exposing employees on the debone line to hazards while performing prolonged, repetitive, forceful tasks, often while using awkward postures. OSHA issued the second general duty citation for exposing employees to the stressors of repetitive lifting and carrying of totes filled with chicken that can weigh in excess of 75 pounds.
  Another violation, with a $1,100 penalty, was cited for failing to record serious work-related injuries on OSHA's 300 form for tracking work-related injuries and illnesses, as required.
  Prior to the most recent OSHA inspection, Wayne Farms’ plant in Jack was last inspected in June 2011, when the company was cited for record-keeping violations.
  Wayne Farms, the sixth largest poultry company in the United States, processes 328 million chickens annually, according to the WATT Global Media Top Companies Database.
  The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to contest the findings.

Alleged abuse at Wayne Farms plant center of complaint to OSHA

A federal complaint has been filed against Wayne Farms, which has been accused of subjecting workers at its poultry processing plant in Enterprise, Ala., to dangerous and abusive conditions. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) filed a complaint against Wayne Farms with the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) on behalf of nine people who are either current or former Wayne Farms workers.
Alan Sterling, director of marketing for Wayne Farms, told al.com the company is still in the process of reviewing the SPLC filing against Wayne Farms and has yet to determine whether it has any merit. “Wayne Farms takes any situation or allegations regarding our employees, our customers and our communities where we work very seriously,” Sterling said. “It would be premature and inappropriate for us to comment on a matter that is still in the earliest stages of review and may or may not culminate into a formal investigation.”
SPLC alleges one plant worker, Beatriz Navedo, had suffered a heart attack on the job, but the nurse at the plant only gave Navedo aspirin and did not call the hospital. When Navedo’s daughter, who also works at the plant, left her shift early to take her mother to the hospital, both were punished, according to SPLC. Wayne Farms also requires its workers to pay the company for some of their protective equipment and denies them reasonable access to the restroom, alleges SPLC.

Wayne Farms facilities to receive onsite health management services

Wayne Farms has reached an agreement with Marathon Health, who will provide onsite population health management services for several Wayne Farms facilities. The Wayne Farms fresh processing plant in Dothan, Ala., was selected as the first Wayne Farms facility to receive the services.
Effective January 2014, Marathon Health will provide wellness and healthcare services to Wayne Farms' employees and dependents at the Dothan facility with its MedicalHomeWork model as the foundation for care delivery. This model facilitates a partnership between the patient and caregiver with preventive and primary care, care coordination and referral management, community provider and health services integration, and a HIPAA-compliant technology platform for documenting and managing care.
Wayne Farms is the sixth-largest poultry producer in the U.S., a leader in the business-to-business market, and is dedicated to being the partner of choice to customers, employees and communities. It's this commitment that steered Wayne Farms to proactively address rising healthcare spending while improving delivery of benefits to employees.
"We are excited to form a new partnership with Marathon Health for our employees. We want to ensure that our employees have access to proper healthcare and wellness services that will keep them healthy, happy and thriving for a long time to come. We believe Marathon Health has the proper services and focus to help achieve this for our team in Dothan and beyond," said Wayne Farms Vice President of Human Resources David Malfitano.
Marathon Health Executive Vice President Jeff Shea said he values Wayne Farms' focus on employee responsibility and believes this partnership will help to reduce the increasing burden of healthcare costs to the company.
"With this partnership, we will work toward the greater goal of helping people lead happier, more productive lives," Shea said. "We see this across our customer base and look forward to seeing the same at Wayne Farms as we guide the Wayne Farms population on their journey to better health and well-being."
Following the implementation in Dothan, Marathon and Wayne Farms will begin work on building a new healthcare clinic to service Wayne Farms' facilities in Decatur, Ala.

Wayne Farms poultry plant celebrates 50 years in business

The Wayne Farms' Albertville fresh poultry processing facility in Albertville, Ala., celebrated its 50th year in business. To mark the occasion, the company hosted a picnic for more than 2,000 people, including employees, retirees and family members.
Established in 1963, the Albertville poultry plant was one of the original processing facilities to operate under the Wayne Farms name. Wayne Farms purchased the facility from the North Alabama Poultry Cooperative Inc. to manufacture and sell fresh poultry products.
Today, the Albertville complex consists of the 42,000-square-foot plant on McDonald Avenue, a feed mill in Guntersville and a 35,000-square-foot hatchery. About 1,000 people are employed at the Albertville plant.
"We are very proud of the fact that we have been in business and part of the Albertville community for 50 years," said Tim Holmes, Wayne Farms North Alabama complex manager. "We owe our success to the many wonderful employees who have shared in our challenges as well as our successes over the years. With such a hard working team and strong community support, we look forward to the next 50 years."

Wayne Farms to expand poultry plant in Laurel, Miss.

Wayne Farms, the sixth largest vertically integrated poultry producer in the United States, is expanding its operations in Laurel, Miss. The company intends to add a new processing line and renovate its existing facility.
The project involves a $3 million investment. When completed, the plant expansion will create 150 additional jobs. The Wayne Farms plant presently employs about 640 people.
The Mississippi Development Authority provided assistance in support of the project through the Community Development Block Grant program to assist with infrastructure and renovation, according to the Mississippi Business Journal. The city of Laurel provided assistance for the expansion, as well.
"Wayne Farms has been 'in business' with Mississippi and Laurel since 1957, and this block grant is testimony to the mutually beneficial relationship we've enjoyed. It represents a true community partnership that will create 150 jobs and millions of dollars in economic impact to the area," said Clint Rivers, vice president and general manager of Wayne Farms' Fresh Processing Business Unit. "We're grateful for the hard work and vision of the Mississippi Governor's office, the Mississippi Development Authority and the confidence of this community. We'll do our part to continue earning that confidence."
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant praised Wayne Farms for its commitment to creating jobs and improving the business climate in Mississippi.

Chicken processor Wayne Farms to add more on-site health clinics

Wayne Farms has plans to open two on-site medical clinics, adding to the two already in operation. The chicken processor with plants in five Southern states is one of many companies with operations in rural areas that provides clinics for its employees.
"We have facilities in the middle of nowhere, so if you have to see a provider it takes a very long time away from work," Helen Nelling, director of benefits and compensation for Wayne Farms told the Wall Street Journal.
Most of Wayne Farms' 9,500 employees are paid on an hourly basis, and don't receive pay for time off due to illness or doctor visits. Their attendance is also monitored, making time off for medical reasons costly on multiple levels.
But Wayne Farms makes it more affordable for employees to use its clinics than it would be to go offsite to doctors or emergency facilities. While only insured workers can use the clinics -- about two-thirds of employees are on the company-sponsored plan -- they pay $10 for a clinic visit, versus a $20 copay for offsite visits. For added convenience, said Nelling, the cost is deducted directly from a worker's paycheck. 

Wayne Farms acquires Arkansas poultry feed mill

Wayne Farms LLC has completed the purchase of an idled poultry feed mill based in Atkins, Ark. The purchase gives Wayne Farms full ownership of the facility, which will be used as grain storage in support of the company’s Danville operation.
“We are excited about this purchase as it provides us with much-needed additional ingredients storage capacity as well as an additional transportation of ingredients option,” said David Elam, Wayne Farms Danville complex manager. “In the short term, the site will strictly be used as a grain handling and receiving facility. As we move forward, we will assess the feasibility of reopening the site to manufacture and deliver feed for the company.”
The Atkins property has been the location of a poultry feed mill and hatchery since the late 1970s. ConAgra Corporation operated the feed mill and hatchery until 2004 when Pilgrim’s Corp. assumed operations at the site. Pilgrim’s closed the facility in 2008 and then completed the sale to Wayne Farms.

TB outbreak at Ala.Wayne Farms poultry plant

Albertville, Ala., Mayor Lindsey Lyons met with Alabama State Department of Public Health representatives and city leaders of Albertville, Boaz and Guntersville to ease fears raised by reports of a tuberculosis outbreak at the Wayne Farms poultry processsing plant.
Sandmountainreporter.com stated one person at Wayne Farms was an "active case." Those who tested positive for the bacteria had been given preventive medication.
Speaking about the meeting, Lyons said he was pleased with the manner in which the Alabama State Department of Health was working to contain the bacteria. However, he added that he was disappointed because no one from the poultry industry attended the meeting.