By Lisa M. Keefe

 Hershey Friedman, whose company bought the former Agriprocessors facility in Postville, Iowa, says he will use E-Verify, pay higher-than-minimum wages but seek to provide “affordable” kosher meat to Jewish consumers, according to a report by the Associated Press.

Friedman, who created a company called Agri Star Meat and Poultry LLC to buy the plant, gave a rare interview to the AP about his plans.

He will use E-Verify to help avoid the problems that led to a raid by agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Agriprocessors in May 2008, he said. Nearly 400 undocumented workers were arrested and hundreds more employees fled the jurisdiction, and Agriprocessors was pushed into bankruptcy in November 2008.

New recruits

Friedman said he also will recruit new employees first from Postville and the surrounding area. “You have to do your best to get the local community first,” he is quoted as saying. He indicated he will pay $1 or more per hour than minimum wage for the lowest-paid entry-level jobs.

The state’s minimum wage is $6.35 per hour for the first 90 days of employment, and $7.25 an hour after that.

Friedman indicated that he believes Agriprocessors pushed production at the plant beyond its physical capacity. He said he will invest in capital improvements, and eventually employ 750 to 800 people, the AP reported. There now are about 385 people working there, he said.

He praised the former owners, the Rubashkin family, for working to make kosher meat available throughout the United States for Jewish consumers and others interested in buying kosher. He told the AP that Agri Star has the same goal.

Trial begins

Meanwhile, in nearby Sioux Falls, S.D., the trial of former top manager Sholom Rubashkin began on Tuesday. In this trial he faces 91 charges, including bank fraud. Another trial to decide 72 other charges, including violation of child labor laws and worker abuse, will be held later.

This first trial is expected to last about six to eight weeks.