Foster Farms is expanding and upgrading its poultry processing facility in Livingston, California.
The multi-million dollar investment will expand the facility’s product lines, which currently provide 2,032 jobs in Merced County, California. Additional jobs will be added as part of the expansion.
Construction for the Foster Farms expansion project has already begun, the company announced, with the project expected to be completed in September.
“Foster Farms is expanding its Livingston operation to allow for future growth and diversification of our customer mix on the West Coast,” Foster Farms President and CEO Laura Flanagan said. “Foster Farms first opened a plant in the City of Livingston in 1959. Since then, we have been very pleased with the quality of the workforce, the access the location provides us to California markets, and the partnership of state and local officials in helping us to succeed in California.”
The expansion has been made possible by a $6.5 million economic incentive package, developed by state and local government leaders working with Foster Farms executive staff.
The package includes resources from California Competes, the California Energy Commission Food Production Investment Program, the Merced County Expanded Subsidized Employment Program, the Merced County On-the-Job Training Program, as well as incentives from the City of Livingston.
“The expansion of a local company that employs more than 2,000 people is of particular importance in a community where every job and source of revenue counts,” said Vice-Chairman Rodrigo Espinoza of the Merced County Board of Supervisors, who also represents Livingston as the District 1 supervisor.
“The City of Livingston prides itself for having such a dynamic and community-oriented company and we are pleased to see Foster Farms continue to grow and prosper here,” added Livingston Mayor Gurpal Samra. “We look forward to continuing our close and rewarding partnership for many more years.”
Foster Farms, according to Top Poultry Companies rankings published in the March 2018 issue of WATT PoultryUSA, is the 13th largest broiler company and 12th largest turkey company in the United States.
