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Premium Minnesota Pork starts Monday

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Production to ramp up to full capacity over next six weeks
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By
Lori Sorenson

Premium Minnesota Pork will begin processing hogs Monday, June 22, starting at half capacity and ramping up to 2,500 head per day within six weeks.
President Dan Paquin said Thursday that the management team has been hired, and plant employment is at more than 150 of the anticipated full employment of 250.
“Hiring is going well,” he said. “We had a good turnout of applicants and we have a real good mix of people coming in here. We have a good cross section of skill here to help us get started, and the rest we’ll train.”
Premium Iowa Pork bought the former Gold’n Plump property in 2018 and has invested $30 million in plant improvements and retrofits.
The company, owned by Lynch Livestock, operates an antibiotic-free pork plant in Hospers, Iowa, and the Luverne plant falls under the same management.
Scott Johnson, plant engineer for both Luverne and Hospers facilities, will be Luverne’s plant manager. He has also been involved in hiring Luverne employees.
“These are seasoned veterans in this industry; they’re people with experience in this line of work,” Johnson said.
“They’re good management people, and I’m just really excited about being part of the management side of the business.”
Paquin said starting a plant amid the coronavirus pandemic is a concern, but he said it has had a minimal effect on the Hospers operation, and he said he hopes it won’t affect Luverne’s plant.
“We are working with CDC recommendations,” he said. “But our folks have more space to work, and we’re cleaning and sanitizing, as always.”
Construction is nearing completion as the plant gears up for the June 22 production startup.
“There’s a flurry of activity as we test and clean up,” Paquin said. “Now it’s preparation for startup and electrical hookup to all the equipment.”
Workers recently processed a run of carcasses to test cut floor equipment, such as conveyors and saws, and this week they will test a production run from live hogs to final output.
Paquin said the cleanup crew has been working nearly nonstop to stay ahead of construction dust in addition to the usual cleanup and sanitizing the plant, which will be a daily job for a crew of 30 people.
“That’s a big job,” Paquin said. “They come in later in the evening and overnight, and they clean and sanitize everything — surfaces, belts, everything.”
At first the hogs processed in Luverne will come from Premium Iowa Pork’s existing suppliers, but Paquin said he’s looking to contract with local growers.
“We’ve had a lot of calls from pig producers in our area, and they’d have to raise to our specifications,” Paquin said. “Those negotiations are going on. There’s been a lot of interest, and we have interest in Minnesota growers, too.”
Once the operations are running smoothly, Paquin and Johnson said the company will host a celebration with the community and offer tours.
“We’re thankful for the way the community has embraced this project,” Johnson said about local leaders, businesses and residents.
“We really appreciate the support we’ve had to this point. … Everybody’s been very supportive.”

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