Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe was pelted with questions at a meeting of workers and community members in ElDorado, where Pilgrim’s Pride plans to close a plant in May.
The governor told the gathering that a group of buyers has offered to purchase the plant, although the Texas-based poultry company has not responded to the offer.
Officials with the Pittsburgh, Texas chicken and poultry producer declined to comment in a story distributed by the Associated Press.
Tempers flared in the meeting when employees and suppliers of the plant pressed Gov. Beebe for more information about the deal.
The governor is quoted as saying that “The odds are we’re not going to be able to get this done no matter how hard we’re trying, but we’ve got to try.”
Pilgrim’s Pride announced last week that it would shut down operations at the ElDorado, Arkansas plant, along with plants here in Douglas, Georgia, and another Farmerville, Louisiana.
The company filed for Chapter 11 protection in December as it struggled with rising feed costs and a weakened economy.
