Thursday, November 12, 2009
The U.S. government will buy $50 million worth of pork for federal food programs that will help struggling hog producers, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Wednesday in St. Joseph.
Mr. Vilsack met with workers, union officials and government inspectors during a tour of Triumph Foods' pork processing facility. The stockyards plant slaughters and processes more than 19,000 hogs per production day.
The hour-long morning visit was not announced to the press or public. Triumph CEO Patt Lilly said Mr. Vilsack, a former Iowa governor, commended the 2,700-worker plant on its use of technology and efficient layout.
The government's announcement of the $50 million purchase comes at a time when hog prices are at record lows. According to the National Pork Producers Council, the pork industry has lost $5.4 billion since September 2007. Producers lose an average of $23 on each hog.
"Today's actions will help stabilize prices and markets, stimulate the economy and provide high-quality food to Americans in need of USDA's nutrition assistance programs," Mr. Vilsack said in a statement.
The agriculture secretary recently met with Chinese officials about opening up their markets to American agricultural products. Mr. Lilly said Triumph has seen overseas pork exports slacken for more than a year,
"About 35 percent of our product is exported to Japan, Asia and Mexico," Mr. Lilly said. "If those markets went away, we'd have 30 percent less people working here," he said.
Ahmad Safi can be reached at ahmadsafi@npgco.com
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mm1967 says...
Another waste of goverment money for a bailout
I find it very hard to believe that they lose 23 dollars a hog.They use almost everything from the hog including things for medical.Now they may be losing money on the consumption side of the hog since the swine flu came out but with all of the by products that come from the hog I find it hard to believe they are losing money.
Now all triumph needs is some qualified management that knows how to treat people.This place is worse then Monfort ever thought about being.They need a lesson in people skills the 70's in a meat packing plant are gone but some of their management is stuck in this era.
November 12, 2009 at 4:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Agent_Provocateur says...
The story said producers are losing $23.00, not processors. Higher corn prices with lower hog prices.
November 12, 2009 at 7:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
royaldiam says...
If the new pork plant is worse than Monfort then it is bad. I know a woman that was fired from the new plant because her husband was on a liver transplant list and was called because they found him a liver and she had to leave to take him to surgery. They certainly do need to develope people skills.
November 12, 2009 at 9:44 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
inigo_montoya says...
Esta es una noticia maravillosa. Con ello se garantizará la seguridad del empleo para mÃ- y mi familia. Triumph es un gran lugar para trabajar. Que ayudaron a mi familia en la bðsqueda de una casa y conseguir nos sitða en esta comunidad.
November 12, 2009 at 10:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Mr_America says...
Mr. America translation service.
"Esta es una noticia maravillosa. Con ello se garantizará la seguridad del empleo para mÃ- y mi familia. Triumph es un gran lugar para trabajar. Que ayudaron a mi familia en la bðsqueda de una casa y conseguir nos sitða en esta comunidad."
This is wonderful news. With it the safety of the employment will be guaranteed for me and my family. Triumph is a big place to work. That helped my family in the search of a house and to obtain it places us in this community.
November 12, 2009 at 10:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Agent_Provocateur says...
Agent translation using google:
"Esta es una noticia maravillosa. Con ello se garantizará la seguridad del empleo para mÃ- y mi familia. Triumph es un gran lugar para trabajar. Que ayudaron a mi familia en la bðsqueda de una casa y conseguir nos sitða en esta comunidad."
This is wonderful news. This will ensure job security for me and my family. Triumph is a great place to work. That helped my family in search of a home and getting put us in this community.
November 12, 2009 at 11:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Rabble_Rouser says...
Rabble_Rouser translation service:
SPEAK FRICKING ENGLISH
November 12, 2009 at 11:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Mr_America says...
That seems a bit redundant agent.
November 12, 2009 at 2:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mm1967 says...
Sure they helped people find homes and helped them but the fact remains they have not done this for the local people.
I have nothing against people who work there other then the management is horable from the plant manager on down.
And I can believe they fired a person for leaving to take a family member to the hospital it is worse then Monfort ever thought about being.
Look at their employee turn over it is a very high number this tells you something is wrong.
November 12, 2009 at 4:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Agent_Provocateur says...
After they bring these people here and these people get hurt or fired for some reason they end up living under 229 in tents. Lucky ones that can't afford to go back where they came from clog our shelters and salvation army. Inigo_montoya better hope he doesn't get hurt cutting up hogs or he may see a different side of this wonderful corporate citizen.
November 12, 2009 at 4:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
inigo_montoya says...
Estas tiendas son castillos en comparación con las chozas en Jalisco. Es un poco más frÃ-o pero que algunos de los pueblos que están acostumbrados.
November 12, 2009 at 8:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mm1967 says...
It would be nice if these folks posting came with a translator.I have no issues with you native language but look this is BS.I read no and speak no spanish.Can someone translate this.
November 12, 2009 at 8:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Agent_Provocateur says...
"Estas tiendas son castillos en comparación con las chozas en Jalisco. Es un poco más frÃ-o pero que algunos de los pueblos que están acostumbrados."
Translation per google:
What they have helped many of the locals who were here. The truth is that many of the locals were lazy or disruptive. All we ask is a good, honest and a plate of barbecued goat for lunch every day. Here people expect much more for much less work.
Google translator works both ways inigo_montoya try it sometime, after all you are living in the heart of the midwest USA!!!
November 12, 2009 at 9:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
inigo_montoya says...
Hay algo perdido en la traducción que he notado, y prefiero tener mis propias palabras publicado en lugar de confiar en la traducción. Hago uso traductor de Google para leer el periódico y tengo que decir muchas cosas, se traducen bastante extraño tambien. Voy a decir esto Actualmente estoy aprendiendo a leer y hablar Ingles. Esto es más de lo que puedo decir de mucha de la gente que conozco aquÃ-. Usted debe ser igual de dispuestos a aprender mi lengua como yo a aprender el suyo.
November 12, 2009 at 9:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
inigo_montoya says...
AquÃ- está la versión traducida espero que tenga sentido. Algunas de las palabras fuera de lugar para mÃ-.
There is something lost in translation I've noticed, and I prefer having my own words instead of relying published in translation. I use Google translator to read the paper and I have to say many things, very strange result too. I will say this I am currently learning to read and speak English. This is more than I can say a lot of people I know here. You must be as willing to learn my language as I was to learn his.
November 12, 2009 at 9:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mm1967 says...
Look I do not need to learn you language I have lived here all of my life and speak perfect english.I am not saying this hatefully or disrepectful but come on we speak english it is not fair of you to expect us to learn spanish.But I do feel you should learn to speak and write english.I congratulate you on learning this.
All I will say about your employer I know first hand what they think of their employees.And when they started this plant they said over and over again they would rather hire a bunch of Mexican people and that is putting it nicely over a local white guy anyday and would.Look they do not care about you.You are a number and a victim to them get hurt and see how fast they turn on you.There is a reason the local guy is disruptive and that is because they are not going to take the crap they dish out on them and I know the local work force is not lazy but you will put up with more crap then the local people will.I am not saying this in a bad way toward you, this is just the mentality of this company a little birdy told me so.
November 13, 2009 at 2:58 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
LibertyOrDeath says...
MM1967, NOT government money...
OUR MONEY!!! THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO MONEY OF IT'S OWN!!!
Inigo, you're a fool.
November 13, 2009 at 7:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bigdckurtz says...
The locals used to work for Armour, Swift, Sietz and Dugdale. I worked for Armour in the 60's and liked it better than GM.
It is the Company (seaboard foods disgised as Triumph another Union busting tactic) wanting to work folks like dogs and throw them away. Is there a union there at all, they need to start rasing cane with the NLRB and where is OSHA?
Oh Monfort was a Conagra division that came after Armour was shut down and the meat cutters union contract desolved.
Why doesn't INS come and clear the place out they are blind or bribed one or the other or both.
Yeah working on the chain was hard work but the company can get away with more using "Imported Labor" there is an endless string of pepole waiting in line.
November 18, 2009 at 10:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )