United States-Poultry giant cuts staff.

UNITED STATES.POULTREY GIANT CUTS WORKFORCE.

Butterball LLC has announced it will cut about 150 positions at its Huntsville, Ark., facility.

The company said in a news release the layoffs "are necessary due to increased grain and other input costs and future demand projections."

"During the past year, we have had to make many difficult decisions regarding the fiscal health of our business," said Butterball CEO Keith Shoemaker. "Government ethanol subsidies and record-high fuel prices for much of 2008 contributed to a major increase in our operating costs."

Butterball said it anticipates the impact on full-time employees should be minimal at the current attrition rate. The staff changes are scheduled to begin around March 9.