Archer beef jerky maker taking over shuttered Farmer John plant in Vernon

The snackmaker Archer is taking over the former Farmer John meatpacking plant in Vernon, saving the downtown Los Angeles plant targeted for demolition.
The plant closed two years ago when the former owner, Virginia-based Smithfield Foods, cited rising costs of doing business in California. The 30-acre site drew near-constant protests from anti-meat activists, putting a dent in its sales of hot dogs, bacon and other meat products.
Archer founder and CEO Eugene Kang said his San Bernardino-based c