PRINCETON, Mo., Aug. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Premium Standard Farms (PSF) announced today that as it continues to install Next Generation Barn Scraper Technology at its farms in north Missouri, the company is well ahead of the schedule that was agreed upon with the state of Missouri.

While the agreement’s timeline designated a benchmark to complete the retrofitting of 136 barns by July 31, 2011, Premium Standard Farms indicated that the company already has fully installed the new scraper technology in 262 of its hog barns. Only 40 finishing barns, two nurseries and eight sow farms await conversion as PSF moves toward the final deadline of July 31, 2012 to complete the installation in all of its Class 1A farms.

“We’re thrilled to reach the final phase of our installation process and are confident that this innovative technology will be ready ahead of schedule,” said PSF’s Bill Homann. “We plan to be finished with our nurseries and finishers by October 1, then once the weather cools down we will shift our full attention to the remaining sow farms.”

Regarding the technology that has already been installed in hundreds of barns, Homann is pleased with how the systems are operating.

“We’re very happy with how well our Next Generation Technology is working,” Homann said. “The systems are operating as we expected and providing a very positive impact.”

Premium Standard Farms has already allocated nearly $40 million towards introducing improved environmental technologies, including lagoon covers, treatment facilities, and land application technologies, equipment and practices that are among the most advanced in the U.S.

The agreement calls for Premium Standard Farms to install barn scrapers in 48 barns by Dec. 31, 2010, then in at least 136 barns by July 31, 2011, and in 230 barns by Dec. 31, 2011. The company is scheduled to finish installing barn scraper systems by July 31, 2012, in all 366 of its barns on PSF’s Class 1A farms.

Premium Standard Farms, LLC is an independent operating company of Smithfield Foods, Inc. As a member of the Smithfield family of companies, Premium Standard Farms produces consistent, high-quality pork products for a variety of markets and is a recognized leader in environmental stewardship and technology innovation. Premium Standard Farms, LLC has approximately 1,100 employees working on farms in Missouri.

SOURCE Premium Standard Farms