AlB—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 7,1980
The newly expanded DeKalk York hatchery at Hellam has increased weekly
capacity from 80,000 to 145,000 birds per week. The facility serves the York-
Lancaster area.
Doubles pullet hatchery capacity
HELLAM - The DeKalb
York Hatchery, located in
Hellam, Wednesday held an
open house to celebrate its
expansion from 80,000
pullets per week to a
capacity of 145,000 birds.
Mike Holmes, general
manager and head of the
firm’s poultry division, said
the reason for the expansion
is that the company sees the
egg business growing in the
area and wants to grow
along with it.
His optimistic remarks
fiew in the face of current
economic conditions in the
poultry business. But
Holmes said the firm was
looking beyond the current
slump.
He said growth m the good
times over the past 10 years
has encouraged DeKalb to
expand.
He said the company
continues to believe eggs
should be produced near
where they will be con
sumed.
Holmes pointed out the
“unique recipe” in the York-
Lancaster County area
which should make the
project a success
First, he said, the markets
are here. Second, the lending
community seems to like the
chicken industry and is
willing to lend money for its
expansion
He said the farmers in the
area have good equity to
* *
build and expand chicken
houses. And, Holmes noted,
producers have the desire to
make their area the egg
basket of the nation
“Pennsylvania still is an
egg-deficit state,” he pointed
out. “It has the desire,
dedication, direction, and
people to make it in the egg
business.
Pennsylvania Secretary of
Agriculture Penrose
Hallowell, on hand to ad
dress the 200 farmers and
other visitors to the hat
chery, said such economic
development continues to be
important to Pennsylvania.
He noted the recent
slowdown m the steel in
dustry and the closing of a
Firestone tire plant in the
state and said he welcomed
DeKalb’s expansion
Hallowell said it was good
to see agriculture as an
expanding industry. He
noted that the number of
eggs produced in Penn
sylvania in the past seven
years has increased by 50
percent.
He praised the Penn
sylvania farm families for
their work m producing eggs
and said he, a dairyman,
was privileged to be an egg
consumer.
Hallowed spoke of the
push to expand Penn
sylvania’s egg markets by
product promotion
Where will they put the
extra 65,000 chicks per
week? he asked.
“I have faith in our far
mers’ talents that they all
v>' *
General Manager and Head of the DeKalk Poultry Division Mike Holmes
presented Agriculture Secretary Penrose Hallowed with a souvenir of opening
day activities.
will used,” he concluded roast pig for the guests at the inside the hatchery as the
Hallowell concluded the open house. operators hope to continue to
session by helping to carve a No visitors were allowed keep it certified disease free.
*****