Facility scheduled to be built in Nebraska
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com
Costco is hoping to open its own poultry farm and processing facility to produce one-third of all the company’s chickens.
The company hopes to build the facilities in Dodge County, Nebraska, and according to the Greater Fremont Development Council (GFDC), would create 1,100 new jobs and invest $180 million in the region.
“There is more due diligence to be completed by Costco representatives, and there will be a number of open public meetings to discuss the project,” said GFDC executive director Cecilia Harry in a release. “Costco representatives also will reach out to interested growers throughout the region to discuss details of the grower network.”
The GFDC states that Costco, the third largest retailer in the United States, would purchase 300,000 bushels of corn and 3,000 tons of soybean meal each week from local farmers, bringing an additional $136 million worth of investments to the rural economy.
Bill Crider, an executive with Lincoln Premium Poultry, who would operate the poultry farm, told KTIC Radio that Costco would process about 1.7 million chickens per week and up to 85 million chickens annually.
Jeff Lyons, senior vice president with Costco, told Fortune that a final decision on the operation should come within two weeks.