$240 Million Pork Plant Opening In Iowa
Prestage Foods of Iowa LLC said it will build a $240 million pork processing plant in Wright County, Iowa. The company had earlier planned to build the pork plant in Mason City, but the plan was rejected by the Mason City Council in May.
According to the company, construction of the plant in Wright County is slated to begin in the fall of 2016, pending finalization of county and state approvals, with completion and first-shift operations beginning in mid-2018.
The plant, which will initially operate in one shift, will create more than new 900 full-time jobs and have a total capital investment of more than $240 million.
Ron Prestage, DVM, on behalf of the Prestage family said, "Iowa is the nation's leading pork producing state and currently produces more pigs than it can process. This plant will keep the value from processing pigs in this state."
Prestage Foods noted that the plant will bring a $43 million boost to the overall income in Wright County and will also offer economic benefits to the surrounding counties.
The lowest-paid workers at the plant will begin at more than $37,000 per year plus full benefits, while average wages at the plant are expected to be more than $47,000.
Bryce Davis, Wright County Economic Development Director said, "Agriculture is important to this county and to our state and we welcome the more than 900 new jobs and $240 million investment in this area."
Prestage Farms, a family-owned and operated business, has been raising pigs in Iowa for more than a decade and is now located in 30 Iowa counties.
The company said it plans to buy 40 percent of the hogs for the plant from independent farmers, creating a new market option for those farmers. (dpa)
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