Release Details

PITTSBURG, Texas, May 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pilgrim's Pride Corporation (Pink Sheets: PGPDQ) today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its chicken complex in Farmerville, La., to Foster Farms for $80 million, subject to a price adjustment for associated inventory and other reimbursements. Completion of the transaction is contingent upon customary closing conditions, including the expiration or termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott Rodino Improvements Act and approval by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. The transaction is also subject to Foster Farms' receipt of $40 million from the State of Louisiana in order to fund a portion of the purchase price. The sale is expected to be completed within 30 days.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court has approved procedures for the sale of the Farmerville complex assets. The sale will be completed via an auction in accordance with Section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The Court set May 15, 2009, at 12:00 p.m. Central as the deadline for the submission of qualified bid packages, and scheduled an auction for May 18, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. Central at the offices of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, 200 Crescent Court, Suite 300, Dallas, Texas 75201. At that time, the company will sell its assets to Foster Farms or another qualified bidder, if such bidder makes the highest and best offer for the assets. A hearing to approve the sale has been scheduled for May 19, 2009, at 10:30 a.m. Central.

The Farmerville complex includes a processing facility, a cook plant, two hatcheries, a feed mill, a protein conversion plant and any associated inventory.

"We thank Foster Farms, Governor Bobby Jindal and the State of Louisiana for their commitment to this sale," said Don Jackson, president and chief executive officer. "We believe it is in the best interest of all parties involved, including our employees, growers, the Farmerville community and our creditors."

As previously announced, the company and certain subsidiaries filed voluntary Chapter 11 petitions on December 1, 2008. The Chapter 11 cases are being jointly administered under case number 08-45664. The company's operations in Mexico and certain operations in the United States were not included in the filing and continue to operate as usual outside of the Chapter 11 process.

Additional information about the restructuring is available at the company's website http://www.pilgrimspride.com or via the company's restructuring information line at (888) 830-4659.

About Pilgrim's Pride

Pilgrim's Pride Corporation employs approximately 47,000 people and operates chicken processing plants and prepared-foods facilities in 14 states, Puerto Rico and Mexico. The Company's primary distribution is through retailers and foodservice distributors. For more information, please visit http://www.pilgrimspride.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release that state the intentions, plans, hopes, beliefs, anticipations, expectations or predictions of the future of Pilgrim's Pride Corporation and its management, including as to expectations as to the reorganization of the Company's business and finances to resolve its operational and liquidity issues, expectations to emerge from Chapter 11 proceedings stronger and more competitive, the sufficiency of liquidity to be provided by the debtor-in-possession financing facility, anticipated authorizations being requested of the Bankruptcy Court, including in respect of approval of the proposed sale of the Farmerville, La., chicken complex, and expectations as to the ability to make post-petition payments, are forward-looking statements. It is important to note that the actual results could differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements include: the Company's ability to obtain court approval with respect to its motions in the Chapter 11 proceedings; the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to prosecute, develop and consummate one or more plans of reorganization with respect to the Chapter 11 proceedings; risks associated with third party motions in the Chapter 11 proceedings, which may interfere with the Company's ability to develop and consummate one or more plans of reorganization; the potential adverse effects of the Chapter 11 proceedings on the Company's liquidity or results of operations; matters affecting the poultry industry generally; continued compliance with conditions for funding under the debtor-in-possession financing facility; the ability to execute the Company's business and restructuring plan to achieve desired cost savings and additional capital to improve liquidity; future pricing for feed ingredients and the Company's products; additional outbreaks of avian influenza or other diseases, either in the Company's flocks or elsewhere, affecting the Company's ability to conduct its operations and/or demand for its poultry products; contamination of the Company's products, which has previously and can in the future lead to product liability claims and product recalls; exposure to risks related to product liability, product recalls, property damage and injuries to persons, for which insurance coverage is expensive, limited and potentially inadequate; management of cash resources, particularly in light of the Company's substantial leverage; restrictions imposed by, and as a result of, the Company's substantial leverage; changes in laws or regulations affecting the Company's operations or the application thereof; new immigration legislation or increased enforcement efforts in connection with existing immigration legislation that cause the costs of doing business to increase, cause the Company to change the way in which it does business, or otherwise disrupt its operations; competitive factors and pricing pressures or the loss of one or more of the Company's largest customers; currency exchange rate fluctuations, trade barriers, exchange controls, expropriation and other risks associated with foreign operations; disruptions in international markets and distribution channels; and the impact of uncertainties of litigation as well as other risks described under "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Pilgrim's Pride Corporation undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Media Contact

Cameron Bruett
Communications
Phone: +1 970.506.7801 | Email: cameron.bruett@jbssa.com