Current plans include production capacity of 1.8 million laying hens, although the site is permitted to hold up to 2.9 million birds. Red River Valley Egg Farm will license and use Rose Acre Farms’ cage-free aviary designs and systems. Construction on the new facility is underway, and operations are expected to begin in August.
“Considering the uncertain regulatory framework in our industry right now, it made sense to partner with Rose Acre Farms to share the costs and mitigate the risk of such a large-scale aviary style egg production facility,” Dolph Baker, chairman, president and CEO of Cal-Maine Foods, said in a statement. “The additional capacity provided by Red River Valley Egg Farm will significantly increase the availability of cage-free and other specialty eggs and egg products. We look forward to working with Rose Acre Farms on this venture.”
Cal-Maine Foods is the largest producer and distributor of fresh shell eggs in the United States. The company produces conventional, cage-free, organic and nutritionally-enhanced eggs. Rose Acre Farms has 17 processing operations in six states and has been family owned and operated since 1964.
“Red River Valley Egg Farm provides a unique opportunity to leverage our combined strengths and capitalize on the growing demand for specialty eggs,” said Marcus Rust, CEO of Rose Acre Farms. “This joint venture will allow us to better serve customers who are looking for a trusted supplier of cage-free eggs.”
