April 25, 2008
Sanderson Farms News Release
Chris Lavender
It’s a done deal – the nation’s fourth largest poultry processing company will invest $126.5 million in Lenoir County which will create about 1,600 jobs. Sanderson Farms Inc., CEO Joe Sanderson joined local officials Friday morning at Lenoir Community College to announce his company’s decision to expand its business to North Carolina. “It’s good to be in Carolina,” Sanderson said. “It’s an exciting day for you and an exciting day for Sanderson Farms.”
Sanderson Farms Inc. Board of Directors met Thursday afternoon to discuss the move to Kinston and Lenoir County. By 3 p.m. Thursday, the board had agreed it should build its 10th chicken processing plant in Lenoir County.
According to Sanderson, the company first expressed its interest in the area January 2007. The company plans to have its operation running by August 2009.
Sanderson Farms Director of Development and Engineering Bob Billingsley said the announcement was made possible by a team effort.
“In our first meeting I laid out the plan,” Billingsley said. “I told them if we get in line together we can make this happen.”
Billingsley said the company plans to begin construction in Lenoir County by June. “We have had a lot of support from Kinston,” he said.
On Feb. 28, Sanderson Farms met with potential chicken contract growers at Lenoir Community College to gauge local agriculture support. During the past year, Lenoir County Manager Mike Jarman, Lenoir County Economic Development Director Mark Pope and Kinston City Manager Scott Stevens have worked with Sanderson Farms officials to help seal the deal.
“It’s a great day for Eastern North Carolina,” Pope said. “Especially for Lenoir County.”
Sanderson Farms will construct a new feed mill, poultry processing plant, hatchery, and spray field in Lenoir County. The poultry complex will have the capacity to process 1.25 million chickens each week. Contract growers are expected to invest an additional $98 million in poultry production facilities.
Lenoir County Commissioners met Friday morning and approved four industrial grant agreements with Sanderson Farms. The grant agreements are performance based which include a $4.2 million cash grant and a $1.1 million land grant.
Several elected officials including Rep. Van Braxton, Rep. William Wainwright, and Sen. Charlie Albertson attended the Sanderson Farms announcement held at LCC.