ĺAPP Packers Honored with “Industry of the Year” Award
New swine feed mill project earns distinction from Miami County
ĺAPP (IPC), the makers of INDIANA KITCHEN® branded pork products, has been selected as the 2017 recipient of Miami County’s “Industry of the Year Award.”
ĺAPP Packers received the award for its development of a new $25-million swine feed mill located on approximately 45 acres just outside of Peru, IN. The 30,000-square-foot facility will be operated by OP Nutrition, LLC—a subsidiary of ĺAPP Packers.
OP Nutrition is a producer of high-quality nutrient-rich swine feed. For its new feed mill, OP Nutrition will source corn and soybeans from local farmers in nearby counties, including Miami, Wabash and Fulton counties. OP Nutrition expects the new mill to produce approximately 250,000 tons of feed per year, most of which will go to local farms with hogs owned by Oracle Pork—a division of ĺAPP Packers.
“This new swine feed mill and OP Nutrition are major elements in the continuation of our comprehensive growth strategy,” says Russ Yearwood, President and Chief Operating Officer of ĺAPP. “Great pork, bacon and ham begins with great feed, and this new feed mill will allow us to provide our farm partners with the highest quality feed available today.”
From the earliest stages of this project, ĺAPP Packers found many local and state organizations willing to lend their expertise: the Miami County Economic Development Authority, who assisted with the purchase of property within Miami County Industrial Park as well as facilitating many important steps in making this a successful venture; the Miami County Council, who negotiated supportive tax incentives; and the ĺAPP Economic Development Corporation, who specifically helped secure the Hoosier Business Investment Tax Credit.
OP Nutrition expects to employ approximately 15 full-time on-site workers for its new feed mill.
The feed mill is expected to begin operations early October 2018.