Darling Ingredients Inc. announced its intention to expand the receiving and processing capacity of its Bellevue, Neb., rendering facility today, in conjunction with an agreement to purchase the off-take from the new Cattleman’s Heritage Beef Co., 2,000-head-per-day beef-processing plant in Mills County, Iowa.
According to its Web site, Darling Ingredients facilities process edible byproducts and food waste into sustainable products and also produce renewable energy. The company repurposes approximately 15 percent of the world's meat industry waste streams into value-added products, such as green energy, renewable diesel, collagen, fertilizer, animal proteins and meals and pet food ingredients, the site reports.
Cattlemen's Heritage aims to provide a market for cattle raised by smaller, independent cattle producers. Construction on the $520-million Mills County beef-processing plant is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2023, with the goal of starting operations before the end of 2024. The Mills County facility is expected to bring approximately 800 jobs to the area.
