On Thursday August 11th the Blue Springs Egg Farm located on 335 acres near Mercersburg, PA. was officially opened at a ceremony attended by state and local political leaders and members of the Herbruck family and the production team.
Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch is a fourth-generation family-owned enterprise with facilities in Michigan and Indiana and now in Pennsylvania with completion of the first phase of the Blue Springs Egg Farm. Herbruck’s produces shell eggs and liquid products for retail and food service from a flock exceeding 10 million hens.
Greg Herbruck CEO commented, “I have tremendous faith in our team to continue focusing on our four key pillars of sustainability that comprise People, Planet, Products and Prosperity.
Herbruck noted that the People pillar incorporates community support in addition to protecting the health and safety of team members. Commitment to sustainability contributes to the Planet pillar and is exemplified by investment in manure processing and investment in a two-megawatt solar array installed at the Green Meadow Organics Farm near Saranac, MI. Currently a high proportion of Herbruck’s hens are housed cage-free with complete conversion to be completed by the end of 2024.
The $100 million investment in the Blue Springs Egg Farm confirms the commitment to the industry in maintaining a supply of eggs that benefit communities in which Herbruck’s operates, and to customers and ultimately consumers.
Attendees at the ribbon cutting ceremony included U.S. Rep. John Joyce, Pennsylvania Senator Judy Ward and Pennsylvania Representative Jesse Topper, Greg Weller of Montgomery Township and John Flannery of the Franklin County Commission.
Blue Springs Egg Farm has been years in planning including permitting and approvals. The Herbruck family hosted local officials and residents in visits to their home base in Saranac to review existing operations that are devoid of odor and are clean and neighbor-friendly.
The first phase of the complex comprises four multi-level houses, 440’ by 60’ and 50’ high. Each house, with approximately 350,000 hens is subdivided into compartments to segregate flocks and are equipped with customized aviaries allowing floor area and cubic space exceeding industry standards. Herbruck’s has developed a unique “transverse uplift ventilation system” that ensures even distribution of heat, limits accumulation of dust and optimizes hen comfort consistent with the Company credo of Serve the Bird®. Each level is equipped with in-floor heat considered essential for maintaining litter quality and contributing to flock health.
The packing module is equipped with two MOBA graders and will be able to process both in-line and off-line eggs providing future opportunities for contract family farms in the area.
Feed will be sourced from a regional supplier allowing the local farming community to benefit from the complex.
Ancillary installations include a plant to process manure, structural biosecurity installations and eventually a solar array.
The site is planned for a total of eight houses to accommodate a flock of 2.5 million hens to be erected in stages consistent with market demand and will include housing for pullet growing consistent with the population stocked.
At the ribbon-cutting ceremony Greg Herbruck expressed thanks for the Pennsylvania Governor’s Action Team and the support from the County and local community. It is anticipated that the Blue Springs Egg Farm will provide 200 direct jobs and inject over $150 million into the state economy when completed.