Company News: AGRI Developments, Devenish, Smithfield Foods
AGRI Developments Expands into the Protein Market
AGRI Developments announced it has entered the global pork protein market with its latest venture in the Philippines. The venture, in partnership with one of the country's leading emerging pig farm operators, addresses the pork crisis that is ravaging across the Philippines due to African swine fever (ASF). AGRI Developments will be expanding the operators existing production capacity immediately in response to the pork supply crisis across the country. The already operational farm based in Luzon is a specialty breeder, that breeds and sells premium pure line pig varieties to other farms, pork producers and distributors, a release said.
The Philippines has been one of the most drastically impacted countries in the world due to ASF, with 40% of its total pig population dying since 2019, the release noted. Supply shortages have resulted in domestic pork prices spiralling upwards. The Philippines is one of the largest consumers of pork in the world, and accounts for 60% of all domestic meat consumption.
AGRI Developments believes that the situation in the Philippines has been further devastated due to its lack of agricultural import safety controls.
“It is one of the world's only countries of its size lacking such controls, which ensures agricultural imports are legal and safe,” the company said in a release.
While other countries have been able to replenish pork supply through imports, the Philippines has been unable to do so as it is incapable of testing to see if ASF is present in imports.
Devenish Opens New Production Facility in Mexico
Devenish is adding a new manufacturing facility in Hermosillo, Mexico. This facility will include its Mexico corporate headquarters, and a two‐line premix production system, the company said in a release.
“This facility is fully operational and gives Devenish a permanent headquarters for our growing administrative and operations teams. It also gives us local production capabilities that will allow us to increase our service and product offerings to our current and future customers,” the company said.
Devenish said it provides customers with nutritional solutions based on research and innovation. The company first entered into the Mexico market in 2014 with sales being supported by its U.S. operations. Since then, the company has grown its presence in Mexico by investing in people and facilities that can support Mexican customers’ needs directly. In 2016, they opened an office and distribution center in Queretaro, Mexico, to streamline the supply of goods to clients. In 2019, they commissioned a swine research facility in Cuernavaca, Mexico, in cooperation with a customer.
“This research location allows us to trial multiple technologies at a commercial scale, with the same conditions of the Mexico swine market and create solutions that are tailored to our local customer base,” the company said.
Smithfield Foods Expands Scholarship Program
Smithfield Foods, Inc. is pleased to welcome South Dakota State University (SDSU), the University of South Dakota (USD), Hampton University (HU) and Virginia State University (VSU) to its Smithfield Foods Scholarship Program.
The company's scholarship program provides eligible dependents of full-time and retired Smithfield employees with up to $7,500 a year in educational scholarships to participating colleges and universities for four years. The need-based program has awarded over 1,300 scholarships totaling $7.6 million since 2002, more than half of which the company has contributed since 2017.
SDSU, USD, HU and VSU join the program's more than a dozen participating colleges and universities across the U.S., including several historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The program's expansion follows Smithfield's 2020 commitment to add additional historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to its program and ensure a broad range of educational opportunities.
Applications for the 2022-2023 school year are due May 15. For additional information on participating schools, academic programs and individual application processes, visit smithfieldfoods.com/scholarships.
More from Farm Journal's PORK:
Stop Calling Nolan DeWall a Pig Farmer
Pig Socks Go Viral After Hockey Player Vladislav Gavrikov Makes Unforgettable Trade
Federal Agents Seize Nearly a Ton of Illegal Animal Products in New York City
