Mountaire Farms, Millsboro, Del., opened the doors to its new $170 million processing plant in Siler City, N.C.

Smithfield Foods, Inc., Smithfield, Va., announced plans to open a new distribution center in Cecil County, Md.

Bettcher Industries, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, acquired Cantrell, a Gainesville, Ga.-based manufacturer of equipment and systems for the poultry processing industry.

U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) and the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC), Stone Mountain, Ga., broke ground on an expansion to USPOULTRY’s existing offices in Tucker, Ga.

Auburn University, Auburn, Ala., built a 30-acre, multi-facility complex that encompasses an administration and classroom building, and is scheduled to open April 10.

Cargill, Inc., Minneapolis, and Heifer International, a Little Rock, Ark.-based non-profit organization, joined forces to create The Hatching Hope Global Initiative, which aims to improve the nutrition and economic livelihoods of 100 million people by 2030 through the production, promotion and consumption of poultry.

Matthew Wadiak, founder and former COO of Blue Apron, New York, created Cooks Venture, a next generation food company rooted in regenerative agriculture and transparency.

Fieldale Farms found the functionality it needed with the Diver Platform and the General Ledger Advisor from Dimensional Insight, Burlington, Mass.

Cooper Farms, Oakwood, Ohio, announced plans to acquire Hemmelgarn & Sons, Coldwater, Ohio.

The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc., Ridgefield, Conn., acquired Bassian Farms, Inc., a San Jose, Calif.-based specialty protein manufacturer and distributor.