Missouri to boost job count with new facility

A new beef processing facility has plans to make its home in Missouri. The location is expected to deliver over 1,300 new jobs and result in an overall economic impact of $1 billion for the state.

Missouri will be home to a new 2,400-head-per-day beef-processing plant by 2024, as American Foods Group on Tuesday announced plans to build in Warren County.

Once fully operational, the plant is expected to create about 1,300 jobs and generate about $1 billion in economic activity in the region, according to the Greater Warren County Economic Development Council.

American Foods Group owns and operates eight plants in Nebraska, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Dakota, Ohio, Minnesota and Washington.

Warren County and the state of Missouri will be evaluating “potential partnership strategies” to help facilitate the location of the facility, according to a news release from the Greater Warren County Economic Development Council and the Warren County Commission. That process is expected to be completed in spring 2022.

Steve Etcher, business development director for the Greater Warren County Economic Development Council, said the company’s investment would help the rural economy in Warren County.

“The company would potentially invest $450 million in our region, increasing our county’s property tax revenue, which will provide significant funding for our school district and other tax-supported entities,” he said in a statement.

“Bringing processing this close to cattle production reduces the costs and energy needed, and it is good for Missouri cattle producers and consumers.”

Missouri is the No. 3 highest beef-producing state in the country behind Texas and Oklahoma. According to USDA, as of Jan. 1, 2021, Missouri had about 2.04 million head of cattle or about 6.5% of all beef cows in the country.