OLD FURNACE, Pa. — If you are driving through White Deer Township in Union County, you may see a large farm just off of Route 15.
The more than 100-acre space will soon be home to Country View Family Farms' new feeding mill.
The company is investing more than $47,000,000 into the project over the next three years.
The expansion in New Columbia will support the company's hog business.
" ... this state-of-the-art operation will facilitate and support the growth of numerous family farms and rural businesses by offering an exciting new market for agriculture commodities produced by local farmers," said Eric Patton, the senior vice president at Clemens Family Corporation.
The project is expected to create 51 new jobs.
An organization called DRIVE oversees economic development in central Pennsylvania, worked with local authorities, and helped the company with picking a location.
"It is sort of a great win-win for us in terms of marrying all the things that make central Pennsylvania great. Agriculture, manufacturing, all those things and put them together, and this is the kind of thing you get," said Jennifer Wakeman, the executive director of DRIVE.
In addition to bringing about 50 new jobs to the area, this new feed mill will have a positive impact on local farmers.
"A company like this is going to provide the feed for the farmers in the area," added Wakeman.
While most of the 100-plus acre property will be used to build the new feed mill, some of the land will remain as it is.
"A significant portion of that is still going to be farmed by the family that has been farming it for generations," said Wakeman.
The company is expected to break ground in 2023.
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