Swift Pork Co., Marshall County’s largest employer, is planning a major expansion of its Marshalltown facilities with construction of a $39.6 million Midwestern Distribution Center. Swift’s parent company, Greeley, Colo.-based JBS USA Holdings Inc., has applied for $2.77 million in enterprise zone tax credits from the state of Iowa for the project. The Iowa Economic Development Board is scheduled to consider that request on Thursday. Swift plans to build a 100,000-square-foot facility that will handle both fresh and frozen pork produced at the adjacent Marshalltown plant, which processes 18,700 hogs daily, as well as a rail spur to handle up to 20 rail cars weekly. According to its funding application with the state, Swift plans to break ground on the facility on May 24, with an anticipated start-up date of Feb. 15, 2011. The distribution center project is expected to create 30 new jobs with hourly wages at or above $14.41. Swift currently employs more than 2,100 people at the plant.

The Iowa Office of Energy Independence is predicting an increase in travel over Memorial Day weekend, but said in a press release that national fuel prices “remain stable.” Iowa fuel prices are lower than the national average, according to the release, but are still about 25 percent higher than last May’s prices. Read more.

Meredith Corp.’s Parents and American Baby magazines will be heading overseas after the company reached agreements with partners in Russia and the Philippines, according to a press release. Meredith will syndicate content from the magazines to Smart Parenting, owned by Summit Media in the Philippines, and Children, owned by Creative Media in Russia.

The 2010 North America Super Corridor Coalition Conference, a three-day opportunity to learn and network with experts and partners in trade and transportation from Mexico, Canada and the Midwest, is now offering one-day registration. The conference will be held from June 15-17 in Des Moines. To read a Business Record story about the conference, click here. To register or learn more, click here.

American Equity Investment Life Holding Co. will present speakers from its senior management staff discussing the company’s investments, sales outlook and financial performance. The event will be from noon to 4:15 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time Thursday at the Four Seasons Hotel New York in Manhattan. For more information or to register, click here.