Peco Foods Putting Grant Money To Work

From our content partner, KAIT Ch. 8:

The Northeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal Facilities Authority received a $20,000 grant to plan and prepare Pocahontas and surrounding counties for Peco Foods.

Peco Foods announced in March that it would locate a fully integrated poultry processing network in northeast Arkansas – a $165 million investment expected to create 1,000 new jobs.

The new facilities include a hatchery, feed mill and processing plant in Randolph and Clay counties. The processing plant and hatchery will locate near Pocahontas and the feed mill will be in Corning.

Executive Director for NEARIFA Wayne Gearhart said the $20,000 grant will help alleviate the expenses for traveling to communities who have experienced the beginning stages of facilities like Peco.

“We want to profit from their experience,” said Gearhart. “They have been there and done that and we hope to avoid some pitfalls by visiting with the different communities that have been through this.”

Gearhart told Region 8 a number of committees have been created to focus on all aspects of preparation.

“We have six committees in place,” he said. “We have health care, communications, education and work force, retail and services, housing and a committee of elected officials that will look at infrastructure needs.”

Alan McVey is the Executive Director for the ASU Delta Center Economic Development Commission and said the donation they gave not only helps Randolph county but all of Northeast Arkansas.

“We want our communities in Northeast Arkansas and these counties to be as successful as they possibly can be,” said McVey.

Watch the full report from KAIT Ch. 8 at this link.