Global agriculture company H.J. Baker announced the expansion of its Animal Health & Nutrition division with the ground breaking of a new multi-million dollar facility in Emporia, Kan.

H.J. Baker’s new encapsulation facility will be built on 15 acres and will begin production as early as March 2016. The 13,000 sq. ft. facility will include offices, warehouse and processing floor, which will include state-of-the-art equipment that has been designed and built in the U.S.

"The new facility will allow H.J. Baker to create new local jobs as well as a strong opportunity for us to continue innovating within our industry," H.J. Baker president and chief executive officer Christopher Smith said.

H.J. Baker has been pioneering the animal health industry using amino acid feed ingredients since the late 1980s. The company’s METABOLYS and METABOMET technologies deliver critical amino acids to dairy cows and gives dairy producers increased benefits in milk volume and richer milk components.

Smith said, "The encapsulated amino acid market is growing nationally and globally, and with our new Emporia facility, we anticipate being able to cater to that growth."

H.J. Baker & Bro. Inc., has been a manufacturer and supplier of agricultural goods and services for 165 years. The company is headquartered in Westport, Conn.