STARKVILLE, MISS. — Pilgrim’s Pride has donated $100,000 toward constructing a new poultry feed mill facility at Mississippi State University (MSU), the company announced earlier this week.

Pilgrim’s Pride — which also partners with MSU for internship and mentoring programs — produces fresh, frozen and value-added products from its operations across 14 US states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Europe. The company supports MSU through involvement in courses, advisory boards and primary sponsorship of the poultry science department’s annual crawfish boil and tailgate. 

“Pilgrim’s is proud of our role in the development of the new Mississippi State University feed mill,” said Fabio Sandri, chief executive officer of Pilgrim’s Pride. “We have a strong, longstanding partnership with the MSU poultry science department, and we look forward to continued support of the next generation of poultry professionals and the advancement of our industry overall.”

The university’s existing feed mill has served the department since 1979. Plans for the new mill, located on its current site at the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station’s H.H. Leveck Animal Research Center, or South Farm, include an updated exterior, increased facility footprint and addition of a pelleting line. The project is slated to begin in 2026.

“Feed and feed manufacturing accounts for roughly 60% to 70% of total operational costs for poultry producers,” said Kelley Wamsley, associate professor of poultry science at MSU. “Proper nutrition is critical to overall health, growth and production. The pellet mill will enhance our research capacity while also providing hands-on experience for our students and complementing our other commercially relevant facilities, allowing students to truly learn about the industry from farm to fork.”

The feed mill also will help support the department’s recent growth in faculty, along with a newly approved curriculum to provide further education in feed manufacturing, the university said. This curriculum represents the department’s continued support of the industry, with a 2024 MSU survey demonstrating 96% of poultry industry respondents indicated a need for feed mill curriculum for college students and a desire for a facility to assist with training new employees. 

“By equipping students with practical knowledge and real-world experience in feed manufacturing, we’re training the next generation of industry professionals — many of whom will likely become valued members of the Pilgrim’s Pride team,” said Will Staggers, director of development for MSU’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.