Hillandale Farms
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA major United States producer and supplier of chicken eggs and egg products.
Last updated October 25, 2026
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Overview
Hillandale Farms is a large United States egg producer and supplier headquartered in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1958 by Orland Bethel, the company developed from a Pennsylvania farming operation into a multistate egg-production and distribution business. Its operations have included egg-producing locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Connecticut, and Iowa, as well as distribution infrastructure in Pennsylvania. The company has supplied fresh shell eggs and related egg products to the American market, positioning itself primarily as a high-volume, mainstream food supplier rather than as a premium or narrowly specialized agricultural brand. The business has expanded and contracted through a mixture of operating sites, leases, and affiliated entities. It has maintained a corporate office in Greensburg and a distribution center in Plum, Pennsylvania. In 2015, a Hillandale subsidiary leased farms in Turner, Leeds, and Winthrop, Maine; those farms had previously been leased by a subsidiary of Land O'Lakes. By 2016, Hillandale was reported to operate ten egg-production facilities in the United States. The company's wider operating history has also been associated with facilities connected to the DeCoster egg-farming business, including operations in Iowa and Maine. Hillandale's history has included substantial food-safety, animal-welfare, regulatory, and reputational challenges. In 2010, federal investigators traced part of a major Salmonella outbreak to an Iowa egg facility associated with Hillandale. The Iowa operation recalled approximately 170 million eggs, and the company paid a reported $6.8 million fine in connection with a plea agreement. Jack DeCoster and Peter DeCoster, who owned a Hillandale facility in Turner, Maine, received three-month sentences for their roles in the matter linked to egg-producing sites in Iowa. In 2016, an undercover video released by the Humane Society of the United States showed hens in rusty wire cages at a Turner, Maine, facility, intensifying criticism over conventional cage housing. The company has also faced operational disruption and public scrutiny from fires. A 2017 fire at a Hillandale farm in Tyrone Township, Pennsylvania, killed more than 100,000 chickens. Another fire at a Hillandale farm in Bozrah, Connecticut, killed approximately 100,000 chickens in January 2023. In Maine, a proposal introduced in 2020 sought to require egg producers to adopt cage-free housing systems. Stephen Vendemia, identified as president of Hillandale Farms Conn LLC, said the company was agreeable to the direction of the proposal but questioned whether a proposed 2024 deadline could be met. Hillandale subsequently shut down its egg-processing plant in Turner in October 2021. During the COVID-19 pandemic, New York's attorney general sued Hillandale in August 2020, alleging that the company had sharply increased prices on more than four million cartons of eggs as demand rose. The company agreed to donate 1.2 million eggs to New York food banks as part of a settlement, and the case was dismissed with prejudice. In a separate matter, Hillandale accountant Jonathan A. Weston was indicted in 2021 on allegations that he embezzled $6.8 million from the company between 2005 and 2019, with a bookkeeper and secretary identified as a co-conspirator. Hillandale remains an active participant in the U.S. egg market, although publicly available reference material does not establish a complete current facility list, ownership structure, revenue profile, or detailed brand architecture. Its public identity is principally associated with large-scale egg production, agricultural operations, food distribution, and the continuing industry shift toward improved food-safety controls and cage-free systems.
History
Hillandale Farms was established in 1958 by Orland Bethel, a resident of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The company grew from its Pennsylvania base into a multistate egg-production enterprise. Its corporate office is in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, while a distribution center has operated in Plum, Pennsylvania. Reference material identifies egg-producing locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Connecticut, and Iowa, and reports that the company operated ten egg-production facilities in the United States by 2016. The company's operating footprint has included facilities and affiliated entities connected with the broader DeCoster egg-farming business. In 2015, a Hillandale subsidiary leased three Maine farms in Turner, Leeds, and Winthrop after those sites had previously been leased by a Land O'Lakes subsidiary. The Maine operations later became significant in debates about animal housing and the company's production strategy. By February 2020, reporting indicated that the number of laying hens associated with the operation had declined from a historical peak of roughly five million to about one million. Hillandale's most consequential historical crisis occurred in 2010, when a Salmonella outbreak was linked by federal food-safety officials to an Iowa facility associated with the company. The Iowa farm recalled approximately 170 million eggs. Jack DeCoster and Peter DeCoster, owners of a Hillandale facility in Turner, Maine, received three-month prison sentences for their roles in the matter linked to the Iowa egg-producing sites. Hillandale also paid a reported $6.8 million fine under a plea agreement. The episode became a major reference point in discussions about egg-industry sanitation, corporate oversight, and the safety of large-scale production. Animal-welfare concerns continued to affect the company's public profile. In June 2016, the Humane Society of the United States released undercover footage from a Turner facility showing hens in rusty small wire cages. In July 2017, a fire at a Hillandale farm in Tyrone Township, Pennsylvania, killed more than 100,000 chickens. In Maine, Representative Margaret O'Neil proposed legislation in February 2020 that would require egg producers to use cage-free housing. Stephen Vendemia, president of Hillandale Farms Conn LLC, said the company was receptive to cage-free requirements in principle but might not be able to satisfy the proposed 2024 deadline. Hillandale later closed its Turner egg-processing plant in October 2021. The COVID-19 period produced another major legal and reputational event. On August 11, 2020, New York Attorney General Letitia James sued Hillandale, alleging that the company had raised prices on more than four million cartons of eggs by nearly five times as consumer demand increased during the pandemic. The case was resolved through an agreement under which Hillandale donated 1.2 million eggs to New York food banks, and it was dismissed with prejudice. In 2021, federal prosecutors indicted Hillandale accountant Jonathan A. Weston for allegedly embezzling $6.8 million between October 2005 and January 2019. A Hillandale bookkeeper and secretary was named as a co-conspirator in the allegations. The company also experienced another severe farm fire in January 2023, when approximately 100,000 chickens died at its Bozrah, Connecticut, facility. Hillandale remains an active U.S. egg producer and supplier. Public reference material does not provide a complete current account of its ownership, revenue, product-brand portfolio, or facility network. Its historical development is best understood through its Pennsylvania origins, expansion into a large conventional egg-production network, involvement in major food-safety litigation and recalls, and adaptation to changing expectations concerning animal welfare, pricing conduct, and production practices.
- 2023
Connecticut farm fire
[1]A fire at a Hillandale farm in Bozrah kills approximately 100,000 chickens.
- 2021
Turner processing plant closes
[1]Hillandale shuts down its egg-processing plant in Turner, Maine.
- 2020
Pandemic pricing lawsuit and food-bank settlement
[1]New York sues Hillandale over alleged pandemic egg price increases. The company agrees to donate 1.2 million eggs, and the case is dismissed with prejudice.
- 2017
Pennsylvania farm fire
[1]A fire at the Tyrone Township farm kills more than 100,000 chickens.
- 2016
Ten U.S. egg-production facilities reported
[1]Hillandale is reported to operate ten egg-production facilities in the United States. The Humane Society also releases undercover footage from a Maine facility.
- 2015
Maine farm leases begin
[1]A Hillandale subsidiary leases farms in Turner, Leeds, and Winthrop, Maine.
- 2010
Salmonella outbreak and major egg recall
[1]Federal officials trace part of a Salmonella outbreak to an Iowa facility associated with Hillandale. Approximately 170 million eggs are recalled, followed by criminal and financial penalties.
- 1958
Hillandale Farms is founded
[1]Orland Bethel establishes Hillandale Farms in Pennsylvania.
Products and positioning
Mainstream, high-volume U.S. egg producer and supplier
Eggs
Fresh shell eggs
Hillandale's core business is the production and supply of fresh chicken eggs for the U.S. market. The company has operated large-scale laying facilities and distribution infrastructure serving mainstream retail and commercial channels. Public reference material does not establish a complete current list of shell-egg sub-brands, package formats, or certifications.
Processed food
Egg products
The company has also been associated with egg processing and related egg products. Its Turner, Maine, processing plant was closed in 2021. Available reference material does not specify the full range of processed products or their current availability.
Controversies
2021
Accountant indicted for alleged embezzlement
Jonathan A. Weston was indicted over allegations that he embezzled $6.8 million from Hillandale between 2005 and 2019. A company bookkeeper and secretary was identified as a co-conspirator.
2020
New York pandemic price-gouging lawsuit
New York's attorney general alleged that Hillandale raised prices on more than four million cartons of eggs by almost five times during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hillandale agreed to donate 1.2 million eggs to food banks, and the lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice.
2020
New York attorney general sues Hillandale Farms over alleged egg price gouging
The office of New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a lawsuit alleging that Hillandale Farms charged New York customers up to four times pre-pandemic prices for eggs during the pandemic. The allegations are claims made in the lawsuit.
2016
Animal-welfare allegations at Maine facility
The Humane Society of the United States released undercover video showing hens in rusty small wire cages at a Hillandale facility in Turner, Maine.
2010
Salmonella outbreak linked to Iowa egg facility
Federal food-safety officials linked part of a Salmonella outbreak to an Iowa egg facility associated with Hillandale. Approximately 170 million eggs were recalled, and the matter resulted in a reported $6.8 million fine and prison sentences for Jack and Peter DeCoster.
Brand decisions
2021
Closure of Turner egg-processing plantStrategyBackground
Hillandale's Maine operations faced continuing scrutiny over production practices and cage-free conversion requirements.
Action taken
The company shut down its egg-processing plant in Turner, Maine.
Aftermath
The closure reduced Hillandale's publicly documented processing footprint in Maine. The available reference material does not explain the financial or operational rationale.
2020
Response to proposed Maine cage-free rulesStrategyBackground
Maine lawmakers considered requiring egg producers to use cage-free housing systems, with a proposed 2024 compliance deadline.
Action taken
Stephen Vendemia said Hillandale was agreeable to the direction of cage-free housing but questioned whether the proposed deadline was achievable.
Aftermath
The proposal highlighted the operational challenge of converting large conventional egg facilities and preceded the later closure of Hillandale's Turner processing plant.
2015
Expansion through Maine farm leasesStrategyBackground
Hillandale expanded its operating footprint through leases of three Maine farms previously leased by a Land O'Lakes subsidiary.
Action taken
A Hillandale subsidiary leased farms in Turner, Leeds, and Winthrop.
Aftermath
The Maine operations later became part of public debates about cage-free housing and egg-production standards.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Hillandale Farms lays off Turner workers[3]
Hillandale Farms laid off an unknown number of workers in Turner, Maine. The Maine Department of Labor offered affected employees Rapid Response help sessions.
Reported
Hillandale Farms closes Turner plant[3]
Hillandale Farms closed Plant 1 in Turner, Maine, on September 19. The company told the state it did not intend to close entirely.
Reported
New York attorney general sues Hillandale Farms over alleged egg price gouging[2]
New York Attorney General Letitia James's office announced a lawsuit alleging Hillandale Farms charged New York customers up to four times pre-pandemic prices for eggs during the pandemic. The allegations are claims in the lawsuit.
Sources4 sources
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