ARCADIA, LA. – House of Raeford Farms, a poultry producer based in Rose Hill, NC, announced the opening of its new feed mill near its poultry processing complex in Arcadia, La.

The company said the new facility is a multi-story structure capable of producing 12,500 tonnes of feed weekly, double the capacity of the former mill that was built in the 1950s.

House of Raeford stated that new technology at the mill would help make production workers more efficient and constructive. The company added that the mill is spacious, with abundant warehouse storage and room to work.

“We are pleased to add the Simsboro, La., feed mill to House of Raeford’s growing list of facility upgrades over the past few years,” said Bob Johnson, owner and chief executive officer of the company. “Among these improvements have been a new state-of-the-art hatchery opened in Monetta, SC, in 2016, a rebuilt processing plant in Wallace, NC, unveiled in 2018, and a variety of other significant processing production improvements across the company footprint.”

Whole grain storage capacity increased from 60,000 bushels to 650,000 bushels and finish feed capacity increased from 900 tonnes to 5,524 tonnes. The company also said that pellet capacity would double.

With the increased available inventory capacity, House of Raeford added that production days would be reduced from seven days a week to five.

“The decrease in production days will afford time for routine preventative maintenance procedures on the mill as well as our feed haul fleet,” the company said.

The poultry company previously announced the $40.9 million construction project in July 2019, which included the feed mill and building modifications, adding new equipment to a hatchery in Gibsland, La., and the poultry processing plant in Arcadia at the cost of $7 million.

House of Raeford runs facilities in Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina.