A major chicken processor has announced its expansion in Mississippi with the groundbreaking of a $25 million facility in Perry County.
Mar-Jac Poultry will be using the south Mississippi plant to supply grain to the company’s Mississippi growers in phase one of the project. With plans for over 20 new employees in phase one, the new transload facility is expected to generate a multiplying job creation impact in Perry County and an estimated economic impact of over $90 million to the local community.
“This is a very interesting opportunity for Mar-Jac, and it is one of the bigger things we have done in Mississippi,” Mar-Jac CFO Tanveer Papa said. “We started this project about three and a half years ago, and we knew it could do wonders for Perry County. It has culminated into this great opportunity today, so we are looking forward to what we can do for this community as well as the communities around us.”
The location in Perry County provides Mar-Jac with convenient transportation passageways with rail access on the property, relieving the high cost of transporting grain to its local growers. Ultimately, a reduction in the cost of grain could relieve the high cost of the end product to consumers in stores, company officials contend.
“This project is a testament that rural areas with limited resources have unlimited potential when everyone works together and pulls in the same direction,” State Rep. Shane Barnett said. “I want to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who has worked alongside the Perry County Board of Supervisors to make this day possible. From the local and state officials and community leaders to the economic development team at [the Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District] as well as the stakeholders, your dedication and vision have made Perry County the right fit for Mar-Jac’s expansion.”
After the initial transload facility is completed, Mar-Jac plans to continue its investment in Perry County with the development of a feed mill. The company has recently been embattled in litigation over the death of a 16-year-old at its Hattiesburg plant, though Mar-Jac officials maintain that they are not liable for the teenager’s passing.
