Smithfield bites into ACMC

- Published: 21 April, 2006

ONE OF the world's largest integrated pig companies, Smith?eld Foods, has taken an undisclosed equity stake in UK-based international pig-breeding company ACMC.

The move follows close co-operation between the two companies in major Eastern European projects. Smith?eld Foods is based in Smith?eld, Virginia, US, and has subsidiaries in France, Poland, Romania and the UK plus joint ventures in Mexico, China and Spain.

It processes 27 million pigs and raises 14 million pigs annually. In 2002 ACMC shipped 700 great grandparent (GGP) stock to establish a nucleus breeding herd in Poland with production com-pany Prima Farms, and in 2004 some 6,000 GGPs were exported to Romania to establish a 1,000-sow nucleus herd and 5,000-sow multiplication farm.

Yorkshire-based ACMC also specialises in genetic monitoring.