November 17, 2008


Agriprocessors halts operations but leader says it will reopen

By TONY LEYS
tleys@dmreg.com

The Agriprocessors meatpacking plant in Postville suspended production today, but one of its leaders said the operation should reopen later this week.

The plant has struggled to survive since last May, when immigration agents raided it and arrested nearly 400 workers.

Agriprocessors stopped slaughtering cattle a few weeks ago, but it had continued processing chickens until last week. Among its many challenges are the fact that its biggest lender has sought foreclosure; that its former top executive was jailed last week on a federal bank-fraud charge; and that it filed for bankruptcy earlier this month.

Chaim Abrahams, an Agriprocessors manager who has served as a company spokesman, said the company and its main lender met in bankruptcy court in New York Monday. “We ended up striking a deal,â€