Beef Plant Time Line

By digitalmedia

  • Beef plant location named

    Location of Northern Beef Packers identified as near the intersection of 135th Street and 387th Avenue on the south side of Aberdeen near the city's wastewater treatment plant.

  • Rezoning land approved

    Aberdeen City Council and Brown County Commission approve rezoning the land. Talk about circulating petitions to reverse the zoning decision begins.

  • Plans for construction start with possibility of opening in spring

    More details about the plant are revealed, including that Doyle Brasher has agreed to start as manager. Plans call for construction to start in fall with the possibility of the plant opening in spring.

  • TIF district approved by county commissioners

    County commissioners approve the TIF district by a 4-1 vote with then Commissioner Dennis Feickert opposing it because of concerns about county government being underfunded. Opponents of the TIF and beef plant begin to discuss possible legal action.

  • Plant is ready to begin dirtwork

    The plant is ready to begin dirtwork in November, but opponents circulate petitions to refer the county's TIF vote to a public vote.

  • Petitions containing more than 1,800 signatures are turned in

    Petitions containing more than 1,800 signatures are turned in. Signers hope to refer the beef plant's TIF to a public vote.

  • County commissioners reject petitions

    County commissioners reject petitions based on legal advise. Opponents say they will seek writ of mandamus or court order requiring the petitions be accepted.

  • Judge rules county commission must accept the TIF petitions

    Judge Jon Flemmer rules that the county commission must accept the TIF petitions if they are valid.

  • County commissioners accept TIF petitions, schedule vote

    County commissioners accept TIF petitions and schedule countywide vote for April 24.

  • Voters approve the plant's TIF 66% to 33%

    Brown County voters approve the plant's TIF 66.54 percent to 33.46 percent. Hellwig says construction will begin May 1 with the bulk of financing to be squared away soon.

  • Heavy rains result in flooding. Plant starts to pump water and add fill, causing delays.

    Heavy rains result in severe flooding in Aberdeen. Plant starts to pump water and add fill, causing delays.

  • Water problems continue

    Water problems continue at the plant, but plans call for main building to be framed and enclosed by fall.

  • Plant is using EB-5 program to attract investors, green cards for approved investments

    Plant is using EB-5 program to attract investors. The program allows people in other countries to get green cards for family members for approved investments of at least $500,000.

  • Hellwig denies rumor that plant is sold to Korean investors, Opening could still be in Aug.

    Hellwig denies rumor that plant is sold to Korean investors. Never an investor, Sanderson is no longer involved with plant. Opening could still be in August.

  • cott Olson Digging of Huron files a $2.1 million mechanic's lien against Northern Beef Packers

    Spring - Scott Olson Digging of Huron files a $2.1 million mechanic's lien against Northern Beef Packers. Plant officials contend they were overcharged. The still-unresolved matter appears headed to trial after Northern Beef Packers sued the contractor and Scott Olson Digging countersued.

  • Construction delays continue, Nov. 1 opening date now expected

    Construction delays continue with Nov. 1 opening date now expected. About a dozen employees are on board, including David Palmer, president and chief executive officer.

  • Weather and finances lead to more construction delays, plans call for February opening

    Weather and finances lead to more construction delays. Plans call for February opening. Management team in place.

  • More liens filed against beef plant, TIF Bonds remain unsold

    December 2008: Two more liens totaling nearly $1.5 million filed against beef plant. Hellwig says he wants to remain primary partner, but that the economic downturn has hindered financing.
    Hellwig says there are 66 Korean investors through the EB-5 program. At $500,000 per investor, that's more than $30 million. TIF Bonds remain unsold, and Hellwig says they are one of the last pieces of financing needed.

  • Plans call for and October or November opening.

    The number of liens is 12, totalling about $8 million. Plans call for and October or November opening.

  • Total of 16 liens have been filed

    With the Olson lien almost certainly headed to trial, other businesses owed money are allowed in the case. A total of 16 liens totaling $13.35 million are filed.

  • Northern Beef Packers has yet to pay first half of property taxes due April 30

    Northern Beef Packers has yet to pay first half of property taxes due April 30. It owes $62,003 plus a delinquent penalty of $2,067.

  • Dennis Hellwig is no longer an owner of Northern Beef Packers

    Records filed with the Secretary of State's Office state show Dennis Hellwig is no longer an owner of Northern Beef Packers. Oshik Song is listed as the general partner. Hellwig, the former owner of Hub City Livestock Auction, had been the largest investor and plant's prime spokesman.

  • "It's going to get built."

    Addressing concerns about the beef plant at a meeting
    in Aberdeen, Richard Benda, secretary of the state department of
    tourism and state development, said "It's going to get built."

  • $5 million loan for Northern Beef approved by state Board of Economic Development

    A state Board of Economic Development approved a $5 million loan for Northern Beef. Governor Mike Rounds said the company still must obtain conventional financing to build the project, which is expected to cost a total of $120 million.

  • Brown County Commissioners state Northern Beef Packers will not get the benefit of tax increment financing bonds unless it first pays past-due property taxes

    Brown County Commissioners state Northern Beef Packers will not get the benefit of tax increment financing bonds unless it first pays past-due property taxes. The plant owes more than $131,000 in back taxes payable last year, plus penalties.

  • Short-term $30 million construction loan given to Northern Beef Packers

    Epoch Star Limited, a special purpose entity incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, agrees to make a short-term $30 million construction loan to Northern Beef Packers. The loan was described during the 15-minute State Banking Committee hearing in Pierre. An affidavit filed for Wai Yee Christine Ma, a resident of Hong Kong, China, outlined financial arrangements.

  • Northern Beef Packers paid its delinquent property taxes

    Northern Beef Packers paid its delinquent property taxes. Treasurer Sheila Enderson said at a county commission meeting that beef plant officials paid $397,325 in property taxes.
    Northern Beef put into place agreements to pay all but one of the more than two dozen liens. While the agreements are in place only about 10 contractors have received payment. The $2.11 million lien for Scott Olson Digging of Huron is listed as a civil lawsuit.

  • NBP gets extension on building and zoning permits

    The Aberdeen City Council granted Northern Beef Packers an extension on building and zoning permits.

  • Construction resumes on the plant, could open summer of 2011

    Construction resumes on the plant.
    The state finalized details of a financial package of loans and a grant to help Northern Beef Packers. State financing will be a mixture of loans and a $1 million grant, said Governor Mike Rounds. The state will help procure a loan of as much as $50 million from the EB-5 program operated by South Dakota Regional Center, said Rounds.
    The plant could open as early as the summer of 2011, said Steve Kaiser, spokesman for the beef plant.

  • Construction slowed by a cold winter

    Beef Plant construction was slowed by a cold winter with near record snowfall. Construction on the plant, which has its exterior shell completed, would pick up, said Steve Kaiser, spokesman.

  • Plant expected to open sometime between Oct. 15 and Nov. 15

    Northern Beef Packers has hired 57 employees for the plant that is expected to open sometime between October 15 and November 15, said Kaiser.

  • "We are more than one-half but less than three-quarters completed," said David Palmer, CEO and president.

    Construction is progressing and it is on schedule to open sometime in mid to late fall, company officials said. "We are more than one-half but less than three-quarters completed," said David Palmer, CEO and president.

  • Consultant states NBP will cause gross domestic product to quadruple and population to double

    The Northern Beef Packers plant will cause Brown County's gross domestic product to quadruple and Aberdeen's population to double in 15 to 20 years, a consultant said Wednesday afternoon in Aberdeen. The plant will generate a $10.1 billion economic boon to the region in the next five years and have an annual $2.5 billion effect by its fifth year, Rod Bowling of AgriFood Solutions International said at a news conference.

  • Avera providing temporary housing for 40 workers

    Avera St. Luke's Hospital provided temporary housing for 40 workers from South Korea working on the beef plant.

  • Construction continues, plant expected to open in Nov.

    Construction work continues. Plant expected to be open in November, Palmer said.

  • Plant to open by Jan. 1, Palmer said

    Construction continues. Plant to open by Jan. 1, Palmer said.

  • "Our date is slipping, and we don't know where it is slipping to," said Palmer

    Beef plant opening delayed. "Our date is slipping, and we don't know where it is slipping to," said Palmer. The important thing is that the plant is making progress, he said.

  • Agreement requires the beef plant to pay for roadwork

    Dec. 14 2011: Brown County Commission announced it would release to the beef plant about $917,000 in increased property taxes resulting from construction as part of an agreement that also requires the beef plant to pay for roadwork. Northern Beef Packers will be obligated to
    pay the cost of improving about 1.3 miles of County Road 14W in front
    of the plant, less $450,000 in state grants.
    City Council extends beef plant building permit.

  • Promotional materials for the plant state the plant will open sometime in spring 2012

    Beef plant officials say plant is 90 to 95 percent completed and should be done sometime in the first half of the year. Promotional materials for the plant state the plant will open sometime in spring 2012.

  • First local cattle producer invests in Northern Beef Packers

    March 2012: Herman Schumacher of Herreid, a feedlot partner and former owner of a livestock auction is the first local cattle producer to invest in Northern Beef Packers. He bought $125,000 in tax increment finance bonds. So far, $925,000 in TIF bonds have been sold, according to the plant and county.

  • Four contractors filed liens against Northern Beef for non-payment

    Four contractors filed liens against Northern Beef for non-payment. The total amount was $476,231

  • The Brown County Commission gave Northern Beef Packers more time to sell tax increment finance revenue bonds by issuing bonds for $2.97 million directly to the company

    The Brown County Commission gave Northern Beef Packers more time to sell tax increment finance revenue bonds by issuing bonds for $2.97 million directly to the company, which it can then resell. While Northern Beef had sold $3.98 million in TIF bonds as of the April 27 deadline, the company was short of the $8.51 million it could have sold. The commission capped the total amount of TIF bonds the company could sell at $6.95 million rather than $8.51.

  • Construction is not complete, site working toward opening the plant by July 15

    Northern Beef officials say construction is not complete at the plant because of lack of financing. The Northern Beef still had $2 million left in TIF bonds to sell.
    Nine more liens are filed against the plant by contractors who say they have not been paid.
    CEO David Palmer said that the company has not paid the contractors and that the best chance of them getting paid is for the plant to open. About 200 construction workers are on site working toward opening the plant by July 15, he said.

  • Beef plant opening delayed

    Northern Beef Packers officials had hoped the plant, on the south side of Aberdeen, could open today. But the opening has been delayed, said Laure Swanson, spokeswoman for the plant. The opening will be in the near future, though no date has been set, she said.
    Beef plant not opening today

  • Beef plant asked explore options for disposing of paunch and manure

    Brown County has sent a letter to Northern Beef Packers asking the beef plant to explore options for disposing of paunch and manure.
    Commissioners and residents alike have concerns about the smell of the waste and the amount of room it could take at the landfill, Duane Sutton, commission chairman, said after Tuesday's county commission meeting.
    Beef plant asked to explore other options

  • Huron to accept Northern Beef Packers paunch

    Huron has agreed to accept waste known as paunch from the Northern Beef Packers plant in Aberdeen, according to The Plainsman of Huron. The city of Huron will be paid $32.50 per ton or a total of $24,183 plus $1,368 tax. In the initial contract, the disposal will run for a total of six months with 27 tons per week.
    Huron to accept Northern Beef Packers paunch

  • Beef plant OK'd to test slaughter

    Northern Beef Packers plant may slaughter up to five cattle to test equipment after permitting from the city Thursday. The test could occur as early as Sept. 28 a city official said.

  • Beef plant could begin slaughtering up to 500

    http://www.aberdeennews.com/news/aan-beef-plant-could-begin-slaughtering-up-to-500-20121113,0,7182099.storyNorthern Beef Packers could begin slaughtering up to 500 cattle per day if it passes a building inspection from the City of Aberdeen today. The beef plant has been able to slaughter up to 200 cattle per day as a condition of its temporary certificate of occupancy for limited production and testing. The plant has been in limited production since the permit was issued Oct. 16.

  • Northern Beef recruiting workers from closing Texas plant

    Northern Beef Packers has sent recruiters to Plainview, Texas, to offer jobs to employees from a Cargill beef packing plant that is closing, said Laure Swanson, marketing and public relations director for Northern Beef. Read more: http://www.aberdeennews.com/news/aan-northern-beef-recruiting-workers-from-closed-texas-plant-20130129,0,4213187.story

  • Beef plant trip nets no new employees

    Beef plant trip nets no new employees A Northern Beef Packers trip to Plainview, Texas, to interview laid off workers from a Cargill beef processing plant which closed on Feb. 1 failed to attract any new employees to Aberdeen, said Laure Swanson, marketing and public relations director.

  • Beef plant fined for wastewater violation

    Beef plant fined for wastewater violationDespite repeated warnings by Aberdeen city officials, Northern Beef Packers has failed to install necessary wastewater monitoring equipment, resulting in a fine and administrative compliance order. The order, sent by Aberdeen Wastewater Treatment Facility Superintendent Pete Hesla, requires Northern Beef to install sampling and flow-metering equipment and construct a sampling shelter within 10 days.

  • City's requirements for wastewater monitoring met

    Beef plant avoids more fines
    A dispute between Northern Beef Packers and a Huron excavator about the amount charged or owed for work done at the plant remains unresolved. Attorneys for both sides indicated during a brief meeting Thursday that the matter will have to be resolved at trial.

  • Beef plant, contractor dispute heading to court

    Beef plant, contractor dispute heading to court Northern Beef Packers has met the city of Aberdeen's deadline to install wastewater monitoring equipment, thereby avoiding a $1,000-a-day fine. Sampling and flow-metering equipment, as well as a sampling shelter, were installed earlier this week and the paperwork documenting their functionality was received Thursd

  • 108 workers laid off at beef plant

    108 workers laid off at beef plant Northern Beef Packers officials say 108 workers are being laid off to cut expenses. The plant is pursuing other financing, officials said at a press conference.

  • Northern Beef Packers files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection July 19

    Chapter 11 offers options for beef plantThe future is uncertain for Northern Beef Packers as it heads into Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but there are several possible scenarios.