Hormel Presents “Spirit of Excellence” Award to Decker Truck Line, Inc.

Hormel Foods and TruckingHormel Foods Corporation has selected 51 of its suppliers to receive awards for providing quality service and/or products to the multinational marketer of consumer-branded meat and food products. Eleven transportation companies, including Decker Truck Line, Inc., were chosen for Spirit of Excellence awards by the logistics department. Hormel presented Decker Truck Line, Inc. a Spirit of Excellence award on Wednesday, July 19, 2006. Decker Truck Line, Inc. has received the Spirit of Excellence award ten times since 1995, and the Hormel #1 award in 2000.

Each of the 51 firms from across the Unites States will be presented a “Spirit of Excellence” quality award for taking an active role in the Hormel Foods quality improvement process during 2005. Suppliers are required to meet or exceed specific requirements established by the corporation’s supplier quality management (SQM) committee to qualify for this recognition.

The company’s provisions, purchasing, logistics and engineering areas chose suppliers and co-packers to be recognized. Many of the firms honored had previously received Spirit of Excellence awards over the history of the 14-year-old award program. The SQM recognition program was established in 1991 to improve the quality of products and services provided to Hormel Foods through mutually beneficial relations built on trust and respect.

These companies provided various transportation services involving refrigerated, non-refrigerated and liquid tank trailers during 2005.

“Hormel Food congratulates all winners of the 2005 Spirit of Excellence award,” said Brad Lindberg, a buyer with the purchasing department who serves as chairperson of the supplier quality management committee. “Each of these companies must have demonstrated a commitment to continuous improvement to achieve this honor. Based on the last five years’ results of these companies, recipients of the Hormel #1 award will be announced in September.”

About Hormel Foods Corp.
Hormel Foods Corp., based in Austin, MN, is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer-
branded meat and food products, many of which are among the best known and trusted in the food
industry. The company leverages its extensive expertise, innovation and high competencies in pork and
turkey processing and marketing to bring quality, value-added brands to the global marketplace. For
each of the past six years, Hormel Foods was named one of “The 400 Best Big Companies in America” by Forbes magazine. The company enjoys a strong reputation among consumers, retail grocers, and foodservice and industrial customers for products highly regarded for quality, taste, nutrition, convenience, and value. For more information about Hormel Foods, go to www.hormel.com.

Abut Decker Truck Line, Inc.
Decker Truck Line, Inc., in business since 1931, is under sole ownership of Don Decker, with corporate offices in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Additional terminals are located in Davenport, Iowa; Mediapolis, Iowa; Mason City, Iowa; Hammond, Indiana; Masury, Ohio; Birmingham, Alabama; and Hutchins, Texas. Decker is a diversified carrier transporting flatbed, refrigerated, and dry van freight to the 48 contiguous states and seven Canadian provinces.

Decker Truck Line, Inc.