Building on its investment in the state of Georgia, Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation announced that it plans to invest $70 million to build a state-of-the-art pet food ingredient plant in Franklin County, Georgia. The new plant will create 90 permanent, good-paying jobs in Franklin County, as well as 100 construction and trades jobs during development of the facility. Pilgrim’s estimates that the plant, upon completion, will have a $65 million annual economic impact on the region through direct and indirect spending. The project will generate more than $1 million annually in local tax revenue, helping to fund county services and local schools. The state-of-the-art pet food ingredient plant will be built on a site adjacent to Interstate 85 outside of Carnesville and will employ the most advanced technologies available to protect Franklin County’s natural resources. That technology includes:

“Pilgrim’s is pleased to announce this significant investment in Franklin County, which will grow our company’s already substantial footprint in Georgia,” said Mark Glover, head of Pilgrim’s protein conversion division. “Following all necessary reviews and approvals from Franklin County and state officials, the plant built here will be truly state-of-the-art, ensuring that jobs and positive economic development are created in a way that safeguards and promotes the sustainable use of natural resources.”

Gary Black, Georgia commissioner of agriculture, commented, “Pilgrim’s is an important anchor tenant in Georgia’s poultry and overall agribusiness industry. The proposed investment demonstrates a long-term commitment to the community and state. I commend Pilgrim’s leadership team and all who have helped get this project across the finish line.”

Pilgrim’s already has a significant presence in Georgia, employing more than 8,000 people and paying local growers more than $152 million each year to support its facilities in the state. An important contributor to the Georgia economy, Pilgrim’s has an annual payroll in Georgia of more than $440 million and contributed nearly $270 million in capital investments over the last five years.

The plant will be used primarily for the production of pet food ingredients by processing chicken byproducts—an essential part of keeping the poultry industry producing at levels necessary to meet high and rising consumer demand. By processing chicken byproducts instead of dumping them in a landfill, Pilgrim’s is helping protect Georgia’s environment. Without the process of converting byproducts through evaporation and drying technologies, all available landfill capacity in America would be filled within four years.

“In the thirteen months Franklin County Industrial Development Authority has been in discussions with Pilgrim’s, I have visited multiple sites that are home to pet food ingredient plants built with the most advanced available technology. Those site visits, coupled with careful examination of the technology that this plant will be built with, give me great confidence that Pilgrim’s investment in Franklin County will not only create significant positive economic impact, but will also promote sustainability and protect our quality of life,” said Lee Moore, chairman of Franklin County Industrial Building Authority.

Will Bentley, president of the Georgia Agribusiness Council, commented: “As consumer demand for poultry products continues to increase, we must be able to handle additional volume at every stage of production. The investment by Pilgrim’s in this state-of-the-art facility will not only allow us to meet that demand but further grow agriculture’s role as the state’s largest industry and maintain Georgia’s status as the Poultry Capital of the world.”