I remember Tim Kaine, back when he was still lieutenant governor, playing a big role in helping the Virginia Poultry Growers Cooperative get off the ground, back in 2004.
Bob Goodlatte tried to take the credit.
I know better.
I was there, literally.
That’s the advantage of me being old.
The Cooperative took over a shuttered processing plant in Rockingham County to give local farmers a location to process their turkeys.
The effort turned out OK.
“The Virginia Poultry Growers Cooperative’s historic investment in Rockingham County is a testament to the power of Virginia’s farmers and producers,” said Gov. Abigail Spanberger, whose office announced on Tuesday that VPGC is planning to invest $113.9 million to expand its operations, creating 146 new jobs.
The project will feature the construction of a nearly 2 million cubic foot state-of-the-art feed mill that will offer the largest grain storage capacity on the East Coast.
The expansion also includes adding a rail spur at the Linville facility, completing critical upgrades to the water treatment system at the Hinton facility, and increasing turkey processing capacity.
In addition, the VPGC expansion will involve new opportunities for the expansion of family farms throughout the region.
With the investment, the company will process an additional 4.5 million turkeys and purchase an additional 2.4 million bushels of corn and wheat from Virginia farms over the next three years.
“The Virginia Poultry Growers Cooperative is grateful to the Commonwealth of Virginia and our local partners for their leadership and support, which advance our plans for growth and long-term investment,” said VPGC President and GM John King. “This collaboration underscores Virginia’s commitment to a strong, competitive, and resilient agricultural economy. The project will significantly expand our production capabilities while strengthening our contributions to the local communities where we operate.”
Spanberger approved a $1 million performance-based Virginia Investment Performance Grant, an incentive that encourages continued capital investment by existing Virginia companies.
The governor also approved a $500,000 AFID facility grant from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund, as well as a $750,000 grant from the Virginia Rail Industrial Access Program.
So, $2.25 million in corporate welfare there, all told.
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Chris Graham
