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Butterball to Expand 2 Arkansas Plants, Add 360 Jobs

2 min read

Butterball of Garner, North Carolina, said Wednesday that it will invest $8.7 million to expand two Arkansas turkey processing facilities, creating a combined 360 jobs over the next three years.

The company said it will invest $4.7 million and create 160 jobs at a plant in Ozark, and invest $4 million and create 200 jobs at a plant in Huntsville.

“Having been a longstanding employer in Arkansas through our feed mills, turkey growing operations and production facilities, Butterball appreciates the continued support from the state of Arkansas as we look to expand some of our processing operations at our Huntsville and Ozark, Arkansas facilities,” Butterball President and CEO Jay Jandrain said in a news release.

“We are proud to continue to be vital contributors to and key supporters of the local communities in which we operate and we’re grateful for the hardworking people of Arkansas.”

In Huntsville, Butterball produces prepackaged fresh, frozen and cooked whole turkeys; turkey breasts and roasts; and prepackaged bone-in tray pack turkey products. At Ozark, Butterball makes pre-packaged fresh and frozen whole turkeys. The company has a third processing facility in Jonesboro and feed mills in Yellville and Alix.

“This is a great day for Northwest Arkansas,” Gov. Asa Hutchinson said in a news release. “Butterball has chosen to expand not just one — but two — Arkansas facilities. The trust that they have placed in our workforce and business climate is a great testament to the hard work and dedication of our state and these two communities.”

According to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, the expansion qualified for two state incentive programs: Tax Back, which provides a sales and use tax refund for eligible expenditures, and five years of Create Rebate, which is a cash rebate based on the company’s annual payroll for new employees.

The company said it plans to upgrade processing equipment, expand cooler space and implement production line modifications at Huntsville. The existing facility will also be remodeled to include a new training area, team member welfare areas and offices, it said.

In Ozark, the company plans to upgrade processing equipment and expand refrigeration capacity.

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