Brazil’s JBS concludes acquisition of Cargill pork unit

Sao Paulo / Reuters – Brazilian meatpacker JBS SA said on Friday it had concluded its $1.45 billion acquisition of Cargill Inc’s U.S. pork assets without any restrictions from regulators, a deal that makes it one of the largest meat companies in the United States.

UPDATE: Cargill Illinois hog processing plant offline until Monday

Chicago / Reuters – Hog processing at Cargill Inc’s plant in Beardstown, Illinois, is closed until Monday as it prepares for transition to its new owners, town and industry sources told Reuters on Friday.

JBS SA said on Friday it had concluded the purchase of Cargill’s pork holdings.

Beardstown Mayor Steve Patterson said the plant manager told him the facility would be closed until Monday while it was “changing hands.”

A family member of an employee at the plant said: “It is my understanding that it is shut down for a couple of days, with maintenance crews possibly scheduled for work on Saturday, because they are changing over to the new company.”

Cargill could not immediately be reached for comment.Industry newsletter the Daily Livestock Report put the plant’s daily slaughter capacity at 19,400 in spring 2014.

Reporting for Reuters by Caroline Stauffer and Theopolis Waters