Poultry producer to build $25-million transload facility in first stage of development at industrial park in New Augusta
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County officials, Mar Jac announce new economic development project
Perry County officials are shown with representatives of Mar Jac Poultry during a ceremonial ‘ground breaking’ for construction of a $25.5-million transload facility the company is building in Perry County. The event was held Tuesday at the county administrative offices after the new economic development project was announced.
Photo by RUSSELL TURNER | Dispatch Editor
By RUSSELL TURNER
Dispatch Editor
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After roughly five years of of negotiations and behind-the-scenes maneuvering, Perry County leaders and officials with Mar Jac Poultry have announced a major economic development project at the industrial park in New Augusta.
A group of roughly 70 people, including county supervisors and Mar Jac representatives packed into the supervisors’ meeting room at the county administrative offices in New Augusta Tuesday morning to announce the construction of multi-phase development in the Perry County Industrial Park by the poultry producer. A ceremonial groundbreaking for the construction of a new transload facility along the Canadian National rail line in the industrial park followed the announcement.
The project, which reportedly represents a $25.5-million investment by Mar Jac, is the first phase of development for the 174-acre site adjacent to U.S. 98 in New Augusta and will boost the company’s ability to provide grains for its poultry operations around the area. The construction of a feed mill is planned as a future phase of development on the site.
“They can deliver us 100-110 car trains, which gives us a lot of protection from the capacity and inventory perspective,” Mar-Jac Transportation Director Keith Poss told a media representative at the event.
Lou Ayers, Mar Jac’s regional manager for its Alabama and Mississippi operations, told those in attendance the company’s heavy grower base and other operations in other parts of the Pine Belt made Perry County an ideal location for the new facilities.
“This is a major milestone for Perry County and Mar Jac Poultry,” said Lou Ayers, Mar Jac’s regional manager for its Alabama and Mississippi operations. “This development will be very beneficial to our company and hopefully just as beneficial to Perry County.”
“It is a win-win for both parties.”
State Representatives Shane Barnett and Elliot Burch were on hand for the announcement and each said they will continue to work with state and local officials to make economic development a priority.
“This announcement is a testament that rural areas like ours, with limited resources, can still achieve big things when we all work together for a common goal,” said Barnett. “This investment by Mar Jac is a vote of confidence for future development in Perry County and the surrounding area.”
Along with the economic boost from construction related to the project, Mar Jac officials say it will create 21 new full-time jobs at the facility once in operation. Company officials project the average annual salary for those jobs at $70,000 per year, which well exceeds the average yearly salary across the state and county.
Construction is expected to begin soon and take approximately two years to complete.
The announcement is a big win for Perry County and two of its municipalities. The community as a whole will get the benefit of job creation created by the construction and operation of the new plant, as well as potential employment opportunities created within other area businesses based on the infusion of new money into the market. The towns of New Augusta (water) and Beaumont (natural gas) will enjoy those benefits too, along with a significant increase in its revenue from utilities such as water and gas.
To secure the deal, Perry County supervisors transferred ownership of the 174-acre site to Mar Jac in exchange for $525,000 from the company. County supervisors also agreed to build a new access road into the property and provide standard 10-year tax abatement after construction is completed. Mar Jac will also reimburse the county $270,000 for engineering and other related expenses incurred in getting the project to this point.
