Cal-Maine, Green Forest Egg to form new company.

Publicly traded Cal-Maine Foods Inc. of Jackson, Miss., has signed an agreement with Green Forest Egg Co. LLC of Green Forest to form a new egg company.

The new company, Green Forest Foods LLC, will be owned and operated jointly by the two companies.

Green Forest Foods will lease all the land, buildings and equipment owned by Green Forest Egg Co. that are used in the operation of its egg business, including about 1 million laying hens and pullet growing facilities. Eggs will be marketed primarily to retailers and food service distributors in the south-central region of the country, the companies said.

Cal-Maine produces, grades, packs and sells flesh shell eggs. The company is the largest producer and distributor of fresh shell eggs in the country and sells most of its eggs in about 28 states.