A $250 million pork processing facility is continuing to take shape near Eagle Grove. Construction is on target for an early 2019 opening of the Prestage Farms plant.
Eagle Grove City administrator George McGuire says they’re excited about the plant and the economic boost it will provide to the region.
“Anytime you can add value to agriculture in this part of the country, you’re taking steps in the right direction,” McGuire says. “Construction out at the Prestage plant is progressing. You can visibly see the construction taking place at the site so it’s pretty exciting for this area.” McGuire says North Carolina-based Prestage is building a state-of-the-art facility that will provide a thousand jobs and a positive infusion for the local economy.
“Prestage has been above-board and they’ve been great to work with,” McGuire says. “I feel like we have a partner in them. They want what’s best for our community and for the area and we want what’s best for them too.” McGuire expects the Prestage pork plant will lead to more businesses locating or relocating in their community in the future.
“When you add 1,000 jobs to an area like Eagle Grove that has a population around 3,500 to 3,600 people, you’re going to see some significant economic development,” he says. A big industry like Prestage in a small community is just what rural areas need all over the state of Iowa, according to McGuire, as he says people understand how important agriculture is to their areas.
(By Jerry Oster, WNAX, Yankton)