By Georgia E. Frye / staff writer
About 400 jobs are coming to Noxubee County as Koch Foods Inc. has announced its intention to open a poultry processing plant in Brooksville.
The company will have an annual payroll of $10.5 million.
“Noxubee County is pleased to announce the largest economic development project in our history,” said Brian Wilson, interim economic and community development director for Noxubee County
Koch Foods Inc. (pronounced “cook”) has an existing poultry plant in Scott County. The company’s headquarters are in Chicago and has an annual revenue of $1.5 billion and employs approximately 8,000 people.
Wilson said he is pleased that a respected business recognized by Forbes as one of the largest private companies in the United States recognized the attractive benefits we have to offer such as GoZone tax incentives, affordable Tennessee Valley Authority-generated power, the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, major rail service and 4-lane highway access.
“Today is a great leap forward for our economy and a sign of the many more good things to come,” Wilson said. “Koch Foods is one of the fastest growing and largest poultry companies in the nation and we welcome them as a neighbor and a partner in our continued growth.”
William Oliver, president of the Noxubee County Board of Supervisors, said the county plans to assist the company in any way possible.
“We want to welcome them to our home, the best kept secret in Mississippi.”
Wade Jones, president of the East Mississippi Development Corp., said he was pleased to hear Koch’s announcement.
“It’s great for the region, and it will have a significant impact on jobs in Brooksville,” Jones said. “Brooksville is 65 to 70 miles away, and is right on the northern line of our trade area.”
Jones said the plant will most likely draw the majority of its employees from the Starkville and Columbus area, but could be good for Lauderdale County because local growers could provide poultry to the plant.
Jones said the EMBDC continues to aggressively seek economic development opportunities for Meridian and Lauderdale County. He said the EMBDC is currently focusing on work force development, downtown development and image branding.
He said the EMBDC is working with the city and county to unveil a logo and a slogan this fall.
