Cheese waste could feed pigs

A manufacturer of animal food is one of two companies that have indicated an interest in moving to Clovis, thanks to the Southwest Cheese Co. plant, said Chase Gentry, executive director of the Clovis Industrial Development Corporation.

International Ingredients is in discussions with Clovis city officials to build a $13 million to $15 million plant south of the Southwest Cheese plant, Gentry said.

If an agreement is reached, the company would like to start operations in October 2005, at the same time the cheese plant opens. Company officials hope to start building in August 2004, Gentry said.

Gentry said once it begins operations, International Ingredients will employ 25 people.

Gentry said he is 90 percent to 95 percent sure the company will move to the area.

“A lot of details have to be nailed down, but I feel very sure they will come to Clovis. I’ve been working with them since July,” he said.

“We haven’t finalized anything the city is going to do for them. We’re still negotiating that,” he said.

The plant would process cheese-making byproducts into a food that could be fed to young pigs. The food would be high in lactose, which is needed by piglets that have just been weaned from their mothers, said Curry County Commissioner Pete Hulder.

Gentry said most of the company’s product is expected to go to commercial hog operations in China, Mexico and other foreign countries.

Gentry said a second company associated with Southwest Cheese Inc. has indicated its interest in moving to Curry County, but he said negotiations are not as far along and he cannot yet release the company’s name.

Mark Warren, vice president of plant operations for International Ingredients, spoke at CIDC’s annual membership breakfast Wednesday morning.