Tyson reduces hog business

High grain costs, lack of available capital and a reduction in pork demand is leading Tyson Foods Inc. to sell five hog farms and reduce its sow herd by nearly 30 percent.

Pork sales decreased in the wake of the H1N1 influenza outbreak, commonly called swine flu, even though the disease can't be contracted through pork consumption. Pork exports in May fell 36 percent from a year earlier, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department.

Based in Springdale, Ark., Tyson said it would reduce its sow herd by 20,000 head from 70,000 as it sells five farms in Arkansas and Missouri, eliminating 76 jobs in those two states plus Oklahoma.

Tyson's products include glazed ham, beef pot roast and chicken breast tenders. The company didn't disclose the price for the farms or the buyer but said the buyer has no plans to use the property for hog production.

On track for opening

After a slow start due to rain, construction for Buffalo Wings & Rings is underway and is on track to open by Nov. 4.

Jay County investors Jim and Vicky Lochtefeld will manage the restaurant with the help of their sons Richard, Josh and Jarod in addition to approximately 25 employees. The job application process will start in early August.

Located at 1204 W. Votaw St. in front of the Holiday Inn Express Hotel in Portland, the restaurant will seat 192 people inside, with an additional outside patio seating area for 40 people.

The restaurant's menu will include gyros, pitas, wraps, desserts and soups in addition to wings and a list of other items which will be available in the dining room and as part of "Buffalo to Go" take-out.

Buffalo Wings & Rings is the nation's fastest growing privately held franchise and achieved the top spot on Restaurant Business magazine's annual Future 50 list, a ranking of the top 50 fastest-growing restaurant chains in the country. The list appears in the July 2008 issue of the publication.

Personal trainer

A 2004 Fort Recovery graduate is bringing personal training to a local fitness club. Lana Ranly is offering aerobics at Fort Recovery's Ambassador Pool and offers personal training at Fort Fitness-N-More, Fort Recovery. She plans to start an Ay Carumba (aerobic Latin dance) class and a Fun Fit class that incorporates playground activities on a fitness level and the importance of activity at a young age.

Ranly is a licensed medical massage therapist and specializes in deep tissue, reflexology, pregnancy and sports massage and a variety of spa treatments.

Green conference

Green energy companies Brevini Wind and VAT-Group will host supplier conferences Thursday at the Horizon Convention Center in Muncie.

Hundreds of additional people looking for jobs with Brevini and VAT could show up as well, Brevini officials said recently.

The two companies will look for vendors that can supply materials and services at supplier conferences Thursday at Horizon Convention Center.

The Brevini conference will be at 1 p.m. that day, with the VAT-Group conference to follow at 3 p.m.

Both companies are looking for steel, cast iron and other materials and services, and are asking individuals and companies seeking Brevini contracts to register in advance of the conferences through www.work-one.org.[[In-content Ad]]