UNITED STATES-650 JOBS LOST AT PORK PLANT.
Hog farmers who invested in a Belleville farming cooperative say the company’s expected bankruptcy filing leaves them waiting to find out how much, if any, of their money they’ll get back.
Farmer John Rokey (RO’-kee) of Goodfield invested $60,000. But he says at least he didn’t deliver any hogs after Meadowbrook Farms stopped paying its farmers last year. He says many farmers did.
DeKalb Hog farmer Bob Johnson says he and other members of Meadowbrook’s board voted last week to enter bankruptcy. He says it’s unlikely Meadowbrook will find an investor or lender for a bail out.
Bankruptcy would also cost Rantoul 1 of its biggest employers. Meadownbrook’s processing plant in the town employed about 600 people until they were laid off late last year. Meadowbrook had said it planned to bring them back..