The Wall Street Journal recently profiled Pilgrim's Pride Corp. and said the Pittsburg, Texas-based poultry giant may soon need bankruptcy protection.

Cargill Value Added Meats, Wichita, Kan., is scaling back at two Willow Brook Foods operations in Springfield, Mo.

Hormel Foods Corp., Austin, Minn., said Gary Ray, president of the company's protein units, and Russell Potter, vice president of operations-grocery products division, will retire.

Tyson Foods Inc., Springdale, Ark., last week marked 50 years in poultry processing.

Citing raw material price increases, prepared meats and entrees processor Pierre Foods Inc. said it voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy relief to restructure debt.

Tyson Foods promoted Dennis Leatherby to executive vice president and chief financial officer.

Maple Leaf Foods announced its new business plan including the sale of its primary pork processing plant in Burlington, Ontario, and a five-year restructuring.