America’s Heartland open new beef packing facility in Missouri
America’s Heartland Packing, a division of American Foods Group LLC, began operations April 10 at its new 1 million-square-foot packing facility in Wright City, Missouri.
The greenfield project includes a harvest floor, carcass chillers, fabrication area, rendering, further processing area, storage coolers, freezers, and loading docks. Once it reaches full production, it is projected to employ 1,300 people and process more than 2,400 cattle per day. The $800 million state-of-the-art mixed cattle facility broke ground in 2022.
In January, the company said the hiring process for the new facility is “well underway, with significant local interest.” Hundreds of applicants have attended job fairs, resulting in the hiring of approximately 400 employees to date, with most skilled hires being local residents.
“America’s Heartland Packing is a game changer for Missouri agriculture,” said Missouri Department of Agriculture Director Chris Chinn. “The impact of this plant not only reaches producers, but also feed stores, farm supply stores and veterinary clinics in towns across the area as producers retain cattle for processing. We welcome American Foods Group and thank them for bringing this family-owned business to Missouri.”
A key component of the project is a new wastewater treatment facility in Wright City. The $140 million project, funded and built by AFG in collaboration with Missouri Public Water Supply District No. 2, replaces the current lagoon system with a modern facility that expands capacity from 500,000 to 3.5 million gallons per day. This upgrade not only supports the new beef processing facility, but also benefits the broader PWSD2 community, paving the way for sustainable growth.
“From the state to the county, the cattlemen to the local community organizations, the support we’ve received has been remarkable,” said Steve Van Lannen, president and COO of American Foods Group. “As a community-focused company, we are grateful to call Warren County, Missouri home. We remain dedicated to a seamless start to operations and eagerly anticipate coming online. While tours are currently paused to prioritize our startup efforts, we plan to host an open house for our partners and supporters this fall.”
By bringing beef processing closer to cattle production, AFG is reducing costs and energy usage, benefiting both Missouri cattle producers and consumers.
American Foods Group is a family-owned, U.S.-based beef processing company headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with operations across the Midwest. The company is committed to long-term growth in the cattle business and to the partners it serves.
David Murray can be reached at [email protected].
