MILLSBORO, DELAWARE, U.S. — Mountaire Farms, the sixth largest chicken processor in the United States, has acquired the Cartanza Grain Facility in Dover, Delaware, U.S. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Built in 1977, the Cartanza facility has grain storage capacity of more than 1 million bushels. It also has a grain dryer, a key component in the facility’s ability to buy local grain.

Mountaire Farms said the new grain storage facility will allow it to buy more local grain from Kent and New Castle County farmers. It also will offer local farmers more competition when it comes to selling their grain, Mountaire Farms said.

The addition of the Cartanza facility gives Mountaire Farms 13 grain storage facilities on the Delmarva peninsula (six in Delaware, five in Maryland and two in Virginia).

“We are grateful to the Cartanza family for allowing us to continue the legacy they’ve built,” said Adam Downes, who oversees the Agri-Business Department of Mountaire Farms. “Buying local grain is important to us and maintaining those relationships that they have established through the years is going to be our No. 1 goal.”

Mountaire Farms supplies poultry to retail, food service, further processing facilities, name brand pet food companies and exports to over 60 countries around the world.