Puratone Corporation has purchased a controlling interest in Bassano Feeds.
The Manitoba-based company is adding a swine feed component to the southern Alberta company formerly owned by Meadowlark Feeds Ltd., said chief executive office John Kroeker.
Bassano Feeds sells 40,000 tonnes of beef and dairy feed each year. Puratone Alberta Ltd. plans to introduce swine production facilities that will market 100,000 tonnes of hog feed.
In addition, Puratone is seeking local partners to build a hog farm in the Bassano area, said Kroeker.
Bassano is 140 kilometres south of Calgary.
The company wants to develop a swine production system of 10,000 sows, farrow to finish, in the next five years. Those in the swine ventures will become shareholders in Bassano Feeds so they can buy feed at cost. Independent producers may also be invited to invest.
Puratone has been active in the Manitoba hog industry since 1987. Through joint ventures it is involved in three feed mills and 24 swine production companies housing 15,000 sows in multi-site production systems.
The company plans to double its production in Manitoba in five years.
