American Foods Group, which has factories in seven other states, would build the plant between Wright City and Foristell in Warren County if a final agreement can be approved.
The plant, which will process only beef, could generate $1 billion in economic impact, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
Warren County economic development director Steve Etcher said the company is in the design stage for the factory.
Gov. Mike Parson, who raises cattle in Polk County, said American Foods would potentially invest $450 million in the region west of St. Louis.
“The process will take some time, but we feel very good about what we have seen in Warren County, Missouri,” said AFG Executive Vice President Jim Rathke.
The plant has become the center of a political debate in Kentucky with sparring between Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles and Gov. Andy beshear over who was involved in recruiting the company, what could have been done differently and the state’s beef industry which has pushed for large beef processors to come to the state for more than 20 years.
Much of the state’s beef processing is concentrated in the hands of a couple of foreign-owned companies and many cattle producers are driving their cows 500 miles for processing or fattening.
During a meeting Wednesday of the Joint Interim Committee on Agriculture, Republican members placed blame on Beshear and said it is considering legislation that would require either representatives of the Farm Bureau or the Agriculture Department be on the state economic development gboard to be guaranteed a seat at the table when ag-related economic development projects are looking at the state.
“We don’t want a repeat of what happened in Christian County,” Sen. Agriculture Committee Chairman Paul Hornback, a Shelbyville Republican, said, referring to the American Foods plant and its look at Christian County, Ky., where several local officials opposed the plant.
Meanwhile, Missouri leaders were pleased the state has been chosen for a state-of-the-art beef processing facility that is expected to have a billion dollar economic impact on the state.
Mike Deering, executive vice president of the Missouri Cattle Association, tells Brownfield that it means an opportunity for the state’s cattle producers.
“That is what we have been asking for in this industry. We have been through difficult times. Missouri cattle producers are no different than any other producer across the country. So, opportunity. And opportunity equals optimism. “
Deering says the AFG plant will help not only Missouri cattle producers, but also those in Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, Arkansas and the industry in general.
“The AFG group toured Kentucky, Tennessee and several other states in search of that perfect place. And luckily for us, they chose Missouri. “
