Agriprocessors

Agriprocessors, Inc.
IndustryMeat packing
Founded1987
FounderAaron Rubashkin
Defunct2008
Headquarters,
USA
Area served
North America, Israel
ProductsIowa Best Beef
OwnerAaron Rubashkin
WebsiteThe company websites were www.agriprocessors.com and www.rubashkin.com.[1]
Agriprocessors plant in Postville, Iowa

Agriprocessors was the corporate identity of a slaughterhouse and meat-packaging factory based in Postville, Iowa, best known as a facility for the glatt kosher processing of cattle, as well as chicken, turkey, duck, and lamb. Agriprocessors' meat and poultry products were marketed under the brand Iowa Best Beef. Its kosher products were marketed under various labels, including Aaron’s Best, Shor Habor, Supreme Kosher, and Rubashkins.

The firm was founded and owned by Aaron Rubashkin, who purchased the meat-packing facility in 1987, and managed by two of his sons, Sholom Rubashkin and Heshy Rubashkin. Eventually it became the largest kosher meat-packing plant in the United States.

Agriprocessors faced accusations of mistreatment of cattle, pollution, and a series of alleged violations of labor law. In May 2008, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) staged a raid of the plant, and arrested nearly 400 illegal immigrant workers. Agriprocessors plants stopped operating in October 2008, and the firm filed for bankruptcy on November 5 of the same year. Sholom Rubashkin as the highest ranking day-to-day corporate officer was charged with federal financial fraud and sentenced to 27 years in prison in June 2010, and was let free after U.S. President Donald Trump commuted his prison sentence on December 20, 2017.[2]

The Agriprocessors plant was bought at auction in July 2009 by SHF Industries and has resumed production under the new name Agri Star.

  1. ^ rubashkin.com at archive.org and agriprocessors.com at archive.org
  2. ^ "President Trump Commutes Sentence of Sholom Rubashkin" (Press release). White House. December 20, 2017. Retrieved March 13, 2019 – via National Archives.