ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, US — Company initiatives dedicated to safety and community betterment helped Mountaire Farms’ Scotland County feed mill in Maxton, North Carolina, US, stand out among its peers to be named the 2022 Integrator Feed Facility of the Year by the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA).

In partnership with Feedstuffs and the US Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY), Gary Huddleston, director of feed manufacturing and regulatory affairs at the AFIA, presented the award March 14 to plant manager Hector Pacheco, during the USPOULTRY Feed Mill Management Seminar in Nashville, Tennessee, US.

“We selected Mountaire Farms as this year’s winner because of their commitment to employee safety, community involvement and animal food safety,” Huddleston said. “I was impressed by the company’s Mountaire Cares community program and its unique Goal Zero employee safety program.”

In 2021, the Maxton plant produced 1.05 million tonnes of feed, and plans have been designed to expand the facility to increase its capacity to more than 1.5 million tonnes per year. Additionally, all six of Mountaire Farms’ facilities are Safe Feed/Safe Food certified through AFIA’s certification program.

The company’s dedication to its community and employees is shown through Mountaire Farms’ two programs: Goal Zero, which aims for zero workplace accidents, and Mountaire Cares, which dedicates volunteer work within the company’s communities through charitable giving to local nonprofits and charities, community leadership programs and scholarships.

The AFIA has been recognizing excellent feed manufacturing facilities through the Feed Facility of the Year program since 1985, with 2021 marking the first year that the association began issuing top industry awards to facilities in four categories: commercial dry, liquid feed, premix and ingredient, and integrator.

Mountaire Farms' team of employees at the Maxton, North Carolina, US, feed mill. Credit: ©MOUNTAIRE FARMS