Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch, a fourth-generation family egg producer based in Michigan, recently announced that it is moving forward with construction of its sustainable, cage-free egg-laying facility in Mercersburg, Pa.

“We would like to thank all of our local, county and state elected officials who have supported our expansion from the beginning,” said Greg Herbruck, president of Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch. “Herbruck’s is excited to break ground on our Mercersburg project, and we are looking forward to being part of the Franklin County community.”

The facility, situated on 335 acres on Corner Road, is a more than $100 million economic development project for Franklin County, Pa., that will create local jobs. The facility will use innovative manure handling technology that processes hen litter into organic fertilizer on site, which will drastically reduce odors, eliminate flies and provide a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer for local farmers, the company said.

“This is an exciting step forward for Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch, and we’re proud to congratulate them on their groundbreaking,” said Chris Herr, executive vice president of PennAg Industries Assn. “Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch’s investment will provide significant economic benefits to Franklin County through job creation and added value to our local agriculture sector.”

In March, Herbruck’s received $319,576 in Multimodal Transportation Fund grant funding. This grant, with additional funding from Herbruck’s, will support the reconstruction of Landis Drive near the Mercersburg location to enhance truck routes and improve safety for the entire community.

The Herbruck’s family celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2018. Herbruck’s has locations in Michigan, Indiana and Pennsylvania, including a Chambersburg, Pa.-based cold storage warehouse that opened in 2017.