Sanderson Farms shareholders approve merger

Private label chicken producer Sanderson Farms will soon be merging with another company. 

Sanderson Farms’ leadership approved a previously announced agreement for a joint venture between Cargill and Continental Grain to acquire the company. Sanderson Farms, a producer of fresh, frozen, and minimally prepared chicken for private label lines, will soon combine with Wayne Farms, a subsidiary of Continental Grain.

“We are pleased Sanderson Farms stockholders approved this transaction and thank them for their support,” said Joe Sanderson, chairman and CEO of Sanderson Farms. “We believe this transaction will benefit our various stakeholders, including employees, poultry producers and customers, and we remain focused on continuing to deliver the highest quality poultry products and services.”

The transaction is expected to close in the fourth calendar quarter of 2021 or in the first calendar quarter of 2022. Sanderson Farms was founded in 1947 and employs 17,000 employees in five states, making it the third largest poultry producer in the United States.