Premium Iowa Pork is looking forward to reopening with a 10,000-square-foot expansion and equipment that will make the business more efficient and safer while producing higher quality pork.

This plant includes an animal handling system that was designed by Temple Grandin, an animal science professor at Colorado State University. The emphasis is on humane treatment. That pleases Bart Bickley, CEO of Premium Iowa Pork.

"A calm animal is going to produce a better quality of meat," Bickley said.

A BANSS steam scald system and dehairer, imported from Biedenkopf, Germany, is being installed. The state-of-the-art system is the first in the United States, Bickley said. The animals never touch in the steamer, which reduces the possibility of cross contamination.

Hogs are slaughtered at Hospers and cut and packaged, Bickley said. The saws have lasers to ensure the finest, most accurate cuts. The room is laid out so the meat can be cut according to customer specifications. It will also be packaged into private label bags and boxes.

The business is small enough so any niche marketer's pork can be segregated, but it's large enough to do the job well, Bickley said. The plant will kill 1,200 to 1,800 head daily.

Source: AgriNews