Beef Products, Inc. (BPI), Dakota Dunes, S.D., will start collecting fresh beef trimmings at its Garden City, Kan., location, with an anticipated start date of Aug. 18, to support its current Dakota City, Neb., production operations. The Garden City facility will be operating two shifts of fresh beef trimmings collection to run in conjunction with Tyson’s production operations. There will also be a third shift for clean-in-place cleaning. BPI anticipates hiring 40-45 full-time employees as a result.

“BPI continues to experience growth, and remains confident this growth will continue. Although business conditions are not yet at the point where we can resume lean beef production operations in Garden City, this is certainly a step in the right direction,” says Craig Letch, director of food quality and food safety. “As the global demand for quality lean beef continues to rise, BPI is ready to meet that demand by providing consumers high-quality, wholesome, safe and nutritious lean beef, just as we have done for decades.”

The Garden City plant was one of three BPI locations closed in 2012 after the “pink slime” incident.