Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal announced this week that Perdue Farms will create 125 new jobs and invest $42 million to expand its cooking operation in Houston County. Perdue Farms’ cooking operation in Perry, Ga., produces a variety of frozen precooked chicken products for consumers and restaurants.

“Perdue Farms’ contributions to our poultry industry span more than a decade and continue to drive the growth of agribusiness in middle Georgia,” Deal said. “As a valued member of our business community, Perdue Farms understands the benefits of utilizing Georgia’s logistics infrastructure and network of resources when expanding operations. This new investment in Houston County will not only create even more quality jobs for the community but also will reaffirm Georgia’s reputation as a leader in agribusiness.”

Perdue Farms will install a third cooking line to occupy 30,000 sq. ft. at the facility, which the company acquired in 2004.

“This expansion will help us meet the growing demand for no-antibiotics-ever and organic products and maintain the high level of customer service and reliability our customers in Georgia and across the country expect from Perdue,” Randy Day, chief executive officer of Perdue Farms, said. “We’re proud to be an ongoing part of the economic growth happening here in middle Georgia.”

Since 2004, Perdue Farms has created more than 900 jobs, modernized and expanded its processing plant, opened a distribution center, and added a cooking plant. A hatchery, feed mill and live production office in Forsyth provide support to more than 140 farmers who raise chickens for Perdue Farms.

“We are grateful for yet another announcement that further solidifies Georgia’s leadership as the top state for poultry production,” Georgia agriculture commissioner Gary Black said. “We are proud of this wonderful Georgia-grown business and celebrate their success with this expansion.”

Georgia Department of Economic Development senior regional project manager Candice Scott represented the Global Commerce Division in partnership with the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Development Authority of Houston County to support the company’s decision to invest in Georgia.

“The Development Authority is dedicated to the continued success of the existing industry in Houston County by committing both time and resources to ensure their success,” Development Authority of Houston County board chairman Mark Byrd said. “As we mark the 14th anniversary of Perdue’s location in Perry, we find this expansion to be cause for great celebration. We are pleased to partner with Perdue and the state of Georgia to win this project, which will bring quality jobs and substantial investment to the region.”