Growing Plans:Wesley Batista says his family's JBS SA wants to work with producers to build the beef industry and create new markets.

摘要

JBS isn't like any other U.S. beef packer. For starters, it's Brazilian and is owned and run by a family, the Batistas. Also, the family has a long history of being cattle producers. Founder Joe Sobrinho Batista runs one of the country's largest cow-calf operations and JBS is a major cattle feeder in Brazil. Moreover, JBS has backed up its talk of growing its U.S. beef business by actual results in its first year of operations. So when JBS USA CEO Wesley Batista (the middle of three sons who run JBSSA) spoke to cattlemen's groups this spring and summer, producers began to realize a different type of owner was now in charge of the former Swift and Company. While most people reserved judgment about JBS s proposed acquisitions of National Beef Packing, the Smithfield Beef Group and Five Rivers Ranch Cattle Feeding, at least some of their concerns dissipated.