Jennie-O Turkey Store has plans for an expansion at its processing facility in Faribault, Minnesota.
The planned project includes a 17,521-square foot addition, and construction is expected to begin within 30 days, reported the Austin Daily Herald. Once completed, the company is expected to see a small increase in production and add between 20 and 25 employees to operate and maintain the new equipment that comes with the addition.
While the Faribault City Council approved two variances and a conditional use permit for the expansion project, it did have concerns about parking issues. The expansion of the building will actually reduce the number of parking spaces on the property by about 44 to 242 spaces. That is 25 spaces shy of meeting city standards.
The plant is currently not operating at full capacity because of turkey shortages brought on by the avian influenza outbreak, but once it resumes full production, the parking space shortage will need solved, one council member stressed.
Mayor John Jasinski said he didn’t want the parking issue to hold up the project and said the city needs to work with the company to solve the parking issue.
Jennie-O Turkey Store, a subsidiary of Hormel Foods, is the second largest turkey company in the U.S.
