A coalition of livestock, poultry and dairy organizations expressed extreme disappointment with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s denial in the wake of the worst drought in more than half a century of requests that it waive a federal law that requires corn to be turned into ethanol for gasoline.
Smithfield Foods Inc. announced that it will begin its previously announced shutdown of its Portsmouth, Va., facility that makes hot dogs and deli meat.
The new plants will add processing capacity of 1.2 million head of cattle by July 2013 and will increase beef production capacity in Brazil by 15 percent.