LAUREL, Miss. (AP) - The third-largest poultry processing company in the U.S. says it's increasing hourly wages to better recruit and retain workers.

  

Mississippi-based Sanderson Farms Inc. announced Tuesday that its new pay scale starts June 2.

  

A company news release says once the plan is fully set, hourly line operators who have worked for the company at least 90 days will earn at least $15 an hour.

  

The company's truck drivers will earn $20.35 to $22.90 an hour. Hourly maintenance employees will earn $19.95 to $27.45.

  

Information about current wages was not immediately available.

  

Sanderson Farms has about 15,000 workers in Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina and Texas. About 13,000 early hourly wages.

  

An annual report says the company processed about 606 million chickens during the budget year that ended in October.