That's old news. On the flip side, the 75-year-old Norbest marketing co-operative is shutting down its Midvale sales office. So far, 18 workers have lost their jobs and two more will be laid off when the headquarters is moved to West Liberty's Iowa office.

The 12,000-square-foot Midvale building has been sold.

"Obviously to the 20 displaced workers the alliance has been disruptive," said David Bailey chairman of Norbest Inc. "But many others will find work because we're growing our business."

When Norbest marked its 75th anniversary last year, executives at the Midvale headquarters called the marketing cooperative the oldest co-op of its type in the world.

Products will continue to be processed under the Norbest label by Nebraska Turkey Cooperative's 21 producer members and Moroni Feed Co.'s 64 turkey growers.

Bailey, who also is CEO of Moroni Feed, said the alliance is a great fit. The Norbest label is well known in the 11 Western states where it sells to food retailers. West Liberty sells to food-service providers and has little name-brand recognition.

Norbest does $120 million in annual sales from products processed at a plant in Gibbon, Neb., which employs 250 people, and at two Utah plants, in Moroni and Salina, that employ about 800 people, according to the Rural Business-Cooperative Service with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

West Liberty is a packer, food-service supplier and private-label manufacturer of sliced processed meat and poultry products. It owns and operates three processing meat plants in Iowa.

In Tremonton, population 500, about 250 workers are expected to be hired when the West Liberty plant opens next year. Earlier this year, West Liberty received $2 million in state incentives to locate in northern Utah from the Governor's Office of Economic Development. An additional 250 workers were to be added to the payroll at a later date. The facility will prepare sliced meat products.

dawn@sltrib.com

Talking turkey

Moroni Feed Co., marketed under the Norbest label, is a co-operative of 64 Utah growers that sells turkey and related products.

* 5 million commercially grown turkeys are processed each year

* Breeder farms are located in Sanpete, Juab, Sevier and Washington counties, as well as Orosi, Calif.

* 150,000 tons of feed per year are mixed and delivered

* 45,000 yards of soil conditioner, made from recycled turkey droppings, are sold

* 850 workers are employed, with an annual payroll of $10 million