Herbruck’s moves forward on cage-free facility in Pennsylvania

Herbruck's is moving forward with construction of its sustainable cage-free egg-laying facility in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, situated on 335 acres on Corner Road.

Pictured from left to right: Senator Judy Ward, Representative Jesse Topper, Rose Plummer, Greg Herbruck, Stephen Herbruck, Herb Herbruck, Senator Doug Mastriano break ground on cage-free facility in Pennsylvania. (Herbruck's Poultry Farm)
Pictured from left to right: Senator Judy Ward, Representative Jesse Topper, Rose Plummer, Greg Herbruck, Stephen Herbruck, Herb Herbruck, Senator Doug Mastriano break ground on cage-free facility in Pennsylvania. (Herbruck's Poultry Farm)

Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch, based in Michigan, announced on Thursday, June 13, that the company is moving forward with construction of its sustainable cage-free egg-laying facility in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, situated on 335 acres on Corner Road.

 “We would like to thank all of our local, county and state elected officials who have supported our expansion from the beginning,” said Greg Herbruck, president of Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch, in a press release from the company. “Herbruck’s is excited to break ground on our Mercersburg project and we are looking forward to being part of the Franklin County community.”

Herbruck’s announced its plans in 2016 to build a facility in the Mercersburg area. The company hoped to construct eight barns where about 2.4 million hens would be housed in cage-free systems. However, pictures of the plan in a recent press release suggest that there will be nine barns to house birds.

The facility will use manure-handling technology that processes hen litter into organic fertilizer on-site. This should drastically reduce odors, minimize flies considerably and provides a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer for local farmers.

Once the Mercersburg facility is operational, about 200 people are expected to be employed there. In addition to the barns, there will be a truck scale, packing rooms and coolers, Herald Mail Media reported.

In March, a state grant was awarded to make road improvements in the area near Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, where Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch is planning a new egg production facility.

A $319,576 multimodal transportation fund grant, administered by the Commonwealth Financial Authority, will partially fund a project to repave one road and widen the turns at two intersections, according to a press release sent from State Rep. Jesse Topper, R-Bedford, to Herald Mail Media.

Chris Herr, executive vice president of PennAg Industries Association said, “Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch’s investment will provide significant economic benefits to Franklin County through job creation and added value to our local agriculture sector.”

Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch, headquartered in Saranac, Michigan, celebrated its 60th year in business in 2018. Now operated by the third generation of the Herbruck family, Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch is the 11th largest egg company in the United States and the largest egg company in Michigan, with a flock of 8.65 million hens, according to the WATTAgNet Top Poultry Companies Database.

Herbruck’s produces white and brown conventionally raised eggs, cage-free eggs, organic eggs and nutritionally enhanced eggs. It also produces liquid egg products, consumer packed and institutional or bulk packaged egg products.

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