Prestage Farms will construct a new turkey processing facility in Kershaw County, South Carolina.
The company announced the plans along with government dignitaries at a press conference on the morning of July 8.
According to a press release from South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster’s office, the future plant will be located at the Governor’s Hill Industrial Park in Camden. That will make the new plant Prestage Farms’ second facility in Kershaw County.
“We are proud and excited to announce the expansion of our operations here in South Carolina where we’ve been doing business since 1994,” said Dr. Ron Prestage, president of Prestage Farms. “We are grateful for the strong state and local support we’ve received for this project, and we look forward to success with all of our partners for many years to come.”
The plant represents a $150 million investment, and when completed, the facility will employ 292 people. Construction of the new plant is expected to be completed by the end of 2022, while the hiring process will begin in the third quarter of 2022.
According to the press release, the new plant will process poultry products using “state-of-the-art technology and high levels of automation.” It will also utilize technologies that will increase sanitation and the shelf life of products.
McMaster called Prestage Farms’ decision to build the new facility, “a huge win for Kershaw County and the entire Palmetto State.” Other state and local officials also hailed the news of the new plant.
“Prestage Farms is a family-owned agribusiness with a stellar track record of supporting South Carolina farmers. By expanding and diversifying their operations, they’ll be able to provide more jobs and more opportunities for farmers. We’re proud to have Prestage as a vital partner as we continue to grow South Carolina’s agribusiness sector,” said South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers.
The president of the company, which processes turkey and pork, said during the Iowa Farm Bureau Annual Meeting Webinar Series in December 2020, that the company had been exploring the idea of building a new turkey processing plant in South Carolina for the past several years. During that event, Prestage said the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the company to rethink its plant design and ways to better protect its workers.
The last facility built by Prestage Farms was a pork plant in Eagle Grove, Iowa. That facility opened in 2019.
Prestage Farms slaughtered 140 million pounds of live turkeys in 2020. It ranks as the 16th largest turkey producer in the United States.
