BENTON COUNTY, Ark. (KFTA) — A $300 million poultry production facility is up and running in Benton County.
Simmons Prepared Foods announced small scale production is underway at the facility, and will steadily increase to reach the first phase of full production in January 2020.
The 315,000 square foot facility sits on an 870-acre site between Gentry and Decatur.
David Jackson, Chief Operating Officer, says the new location is great for the local economy.
“It gives the local community assurance of jobs for the next several decades. We built this building and this facility here to stay. It’s prestressed concrete, the latest technology, and we intend for it to be here for many decades to come,” Jackson explained.
Nearly 900 people are transitioning to the new location from Simmon’s plant in Decatur.
The company expects to increase the number of workers to 1,200 team members by January, and nearly double that by 2022.
