Sanderson Farms Project, an Economic Plus for the Area

TYLER – Local officials gathered in Tyler Monday morning to discuss Sanderson Farms building several facilities in Smith and Wood counties. The company plans to construct a $200 million dollar feed mill, hatchery, poultry processing plant, and wastewater treatment facility. At full capacity, the complex will employ 1700 people, will require 80 contract growers, and will be equipped to process and sell 375 million pounds of dressed poultry meat annually. Tyler Economic Development Council President and CEO Tom Mullins says the project will have a tremendous impact on the Winona, Lindale and Mineola areas.

Mullins said the company is currently analyzing the sites to make sure that they work in terms of all their engineering and environmental requirements. In the meantime, local authorities are working on an incentive package. This would involve abatements, training grants, and sales tax equipment exemptions. An independent study shows the 10 year impact of the project to be is $1.4 Billion. The ten year abatement and other incentives comes to about $18 million. Mullins says “we think that is a pretty good trade-off to use those incentives to bring that huge investment here.”

Mullins said something else to consider is the spinoffs from the project. He said consider the additional employees in the area that will be spending money for their personal needs, which will also impact medical, education and residential construction. Mullins said they have been working on this project for over 14 months.