Headquartered in Saranac, Michigan, Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch supplies over 3 billion farm-fresh eggs and 55 million pounds of liquid egg product to retailers and foodservice outlets across the nation each year.
Herbruck’s flock has grown from 3,000 egg-laying hens in the late 1950s to ten million today and has locations in Michigan, Indiana, and Pennsylvania, including a Chambersburg-based cold storage warehouse that opened in 2017.
We also supply 100,000 tons of organic fertilizer to farmers each year through our innovative chicken litter technology which removes virtually all odors and flies from our farms.
When was Herbruck’s started?
The Herbruck family has been in the egg business since at least the 1920s, when Harry Herbruck Sr. started an egg delivery company in Flint, Michigan.
Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch was founded in 1958 by Harry and Marilyn Herbruck.
Today, the farm is operated by third- and fourth-generation family members who are continuing the tradition.
How is Herbruck’s involved in the community?
We’re focused on being a good neighbor, providing nutritional education and opportunities for the community, and funding/donating to local organizations including food banks, schools, and community support groups.
We donate more than 1 million eggs annually to our neighboring communities.
Why did Herbruck’s choose to locate in Mercersburg?
We chose the Mercersburg area because of its long tradition of agriculture.
It’s also within proximity of our East Coast customers, which builds on our investment in Chambersburg.
What does this project entail?
Site preparation work will begin early next year, which marks the beginning of our construction on a sustainable cage-free egg-laying facility.
This farm will include the planned construction of eight barns, an egg processing plant, and manure (litter) pelletizing/storage building.
The new facility, situated on 335 acres, will use innovative technology that processes hen litter into organic fertilizer on-site, which has proven to drastically reduce odors, eliminate flies, and provide a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer for farmers.
This is a more than $100 million economic development project for Franklin County.
Processing, which includes cage-free, organic, and other eggs, is expected to be completed in Summer 2022.
Egg Production is expected to begin in mid-to-late- 2022.
We are excited to have local contractors working on our site preparation and construction and look forward to hiring local talent at Blue Springs when processing can begin. We are currently undergoing site preparation to begin construction and will start the hiring process in 2022.
Who is working on this project?
Herbruck’s is committed to hiring from the region and utilizing the wealth of local talent in the area to work on this project.
Herbruck’s hired York-based Stewart & Tate as our general contractor — which is family-owned and operated and was founded in 1935, offering a wealth of knowledge and experience in the area.
We also awarded part of the project to Carlisle-based Galbraith/Pre-Design Inc. for the construction of pre-engineered metal poultry buildings and manure barn.
David H. Martin Excavating Inc., based in Chambersburg, is leading site preparation.
How will this project affect local transportation?
We will be reconstructing Landis Drive and making other necessary road improvements to ensure transportation safety.
We are committed to working with Mercersburg Borough and the state to address any transportation issues.
How many jobs will this project create?
The sustainable cage-free egg-laying facility, when fully operational, will employ approximately 190 people.
We intend to hire local employees. For more information please click here
We are proud to pay competitive wages and salaries, we pay 100% of the employee health insurance premium, and provide a competitive vacation package, short term disability, life insurance, and profit-sharing for our employees.
What is the economic impact of the facility?
This is a more than $100 million economic development project for Franklin County by the Herbruck’s family farm headquartered in Michigan.
According to an economic analysis of this facility, nearly 200 additional people will be employed as an indirect result of the facility.
Advancing a project as large in scale and scope as this one brings about many local infrastructure improvements that benefit the entire community.
Between site preparation, utility costs, and off-site transportation improvements, millions of dollars in private investment are required to get this project off the ground.
What is the environmental impact of the project?
The new cage-free egg-laying facility will use innovative technology that processes hen litter into organic fertilizer on-site, which drastically reduces odors and provides a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer for local farmers.
All unused or damaged packaging material is recycled when possible, and packaged eggs are stored on reusable, plastic pallets.
How much water is used, and how is wastewater handled?
Water is used to maintain the hen’s welfare and for the processing of eggs to ensure they are safe for consumption.
Egg processing wastewater will be transported offsite for treatment and environmentally responsible disposal.
How will the facility handle manure?
Litter is dried in each poultry house, processed into pellets, and stored in a fully enclosed building.
A ten-week storage period is required, but our facility has the capacity for about six months of manure production.
What biosecurity measures does Herbruck’s have in place to ensure the health of the surrounding community?
To ensure the safety of our birds, our product, and our people, Herbruck’s has long required strict biosecurity measures at each of our facilities. These measures include:
