Pilgrim’s to shutter rendering site in El Dorado

Pilgrim's Pride Corp. plans to close a rendering facility in El Dorado, that produces chicken meal used in pet food. The plant closure in September will eliminate 29 jobs, the company said on Wednesday (Aug.14).

Those operations will shift to another Pilgrim's facility in Texas, the company said.

Pilgrim’s said the decision to close the plant is based on supply chain and operational efficiencies that it can’t achiever in El Dorado.

Pilgrim’s has idled four other poultry plants in the U.S. in recent years as it worked to streamline its operations following its bankruptcy filing and subsequent acquisition by South American beef company JBS in 2009.