Hendrix Genetics hosts grand opening of new turkey hatchery in South Dakota

Over 400 people, including representatives of the turkey industry, local community members, and government officials, gathered to celebrate and tour the new Hendrix Genetics commercial turkey hatchery in Beresford, S.D.

This new facility will hatch poults for commercial farmers throughout North America.

This event was a rare opportunity to see inside a facility like this, as once in production, biosecurity policies will be in effect to support the high-health requirements of the Hendrix Genetics Turkey operations.

A few of these policies were evident and experienced first-hand. Upon entry, all attendees were asked to sanitize their hands and wear special protective covers over their shoes to prevent the entry of contaminants from the outside.

The hatchery represents one of the largest pieces for a project initiated in 2017. At this time, Hendrix Genetics announced they would establish their own turkey poult distribution network in the U.S.

The objective: to ensure top quality and availability of Hybrid Turkeys products throughout the turkey value chain. This investment, estimated at approximately $70 million, includes new and updated breeding farms, two new hatcheries, and a new transportation fleet.

After speeches and an official ribbon cutting ceremony, guests toured the hatchery to learn about the facility features.