Laura Flanagan, Foster Farms president and CEO, along with Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, announced yesterday a $30 million capital investment for an expansion and upgrade of the company’s poultry processing facilities in Farmerville, Louisiana.The project, which has already begun, will extensively modernize and upgrade the plant’s cutup and deboning departments.
Foster Farms said it anticipates that the capital equipment will be installed and the project completed by October 2017. The project will create 50 new jobs in Union Parish, Louisiana as well as an additional 42 new indirect jobs, for a total of more than 90 new jobs in north Louisiana.
“Foster Farms is expanding its Farmerville operation to allow for future growth and flexibility of customer mix as well as greater efficiency in its fresh chicken operations,” Flanagan said. “Foster Farms has previously worked with the state economic development department when we acquired the facility in 2009. Since then, we have been very pleased with the quality of the workforce, the business-friendly climate and the attitude of state and local officials in helping us to succeed in Louisiana,” she said.
“Foster Farms’ facility in Union Parish has generated much-needed employment opportunities for our people,” Governor Edwards said. “The company’s commitment to the area and reinvestment in the Farmerville poultry operations is a testament not only to the Louisiana workforce in the region but to the company’s vision for future success in our state.”
In 2009, Foster Farms purchased, renovated, and reopened the former Pilgrim’s Pride poultry facility in Union Parish. With financial assistance from the state, the company invested $100 million to complete facility improvements and rebuild inventory. That project made the site a major economic driver for north Louisiana and a leading agribusiness project in the state. At that time, the company also renewed 100 contracts with local poultry farmer in the area, first established by the previous planter operator.
