MONTGOMERY-Governor Robert Bentley has awarded a $200,000 grant to assist with infrastructure required for a $12 million enlargement of a Jasper poultry business that intends to hire 50 additional workers once the expansion is complete.
The expansion by Mar-Jac Poultry Inc. is part of the Gainesville, Georgia-based company’s plans to increase operations at several of its poultry-related businesses in Alabama.
“Agriculture is a vital component in Alabama’s economy and employs many Alabamians,” Bentley said. “The expansion is important to Mar-Jac’s investment in our state.”
With assistance from the grant, Jasper will expand its Town Creek wastewater treatment plant to increase intake capacity to 500,000 gallons of wastewater daily. The increased capacity is crucial to the expansion of the plant, which will generate about 1.6 million gallons of wastewater per week from its location on Second Avenue.
Mar-Jac also broke ground in April on a feed mill operation near Phil Campbell that will employ 100 people, and the company plans to work with poultry farmers in northwest Alabama to build chicken houses. Overall, Mar-Jac employs about 1,000 people at its Alabama facilities.
Bentley notified Mayor V.L. “Sonny” Posey that the grant had been approved.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available to the state by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. ADECA administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, economic development, infrastructure upgrades, recreation, energy, water resources, job training and career development.
media release/State of Alabama,office of Governor Robert Bentley
