Gov. Ivey awards grant to create jobs in DeKalb County

The Community Development Block Grant will provide infrastructure needed for Koch Foods to more than triple the size of its 40,000-square-foot hatchery plant in Crossville and double its workforce size. The new 128,000-square-foot plant will employ 64 people.

“Poultry is a $15 billion industry in Alabama, and DeKalb County is a significant factor in that high number,” Ivey said. “The expansion of the Koch Food plant will further improve the economy in northeast Alabama and provide important job opportunities for 35 residents.”

CDBG funds will enable Crossville to upgrade its sewer system to improve intake and treatment of waste? from the poultry plant. The town is providing $62,387 for the sewer project.

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, which is administering the current grant, supplied CDBG funds to the town in 1990 to provide sewer service to the plant which was then owned by Gold Kist. The CDBG funds are made available to the state from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“Job creation is an important part of Gov. Ivey’s agenda, and I join her in welcoming this expansion,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA is glad to be a part of the process that brings the public and private sectors together to achieve goals.”

Ivey notified Crossville Mayor Tera Fortenberry that the grant had been approved.

ADECA administers an array of programs supporting law enforcement and traffic safety, economic development, energy conservation, water resource management and recreation development.