Will Create 25 Jobs in Eastern Baltimore County
BALTIMORE, MD (November 5, 2018) – Perdue AgriBusiness, a division of Perdue Farms, announced today a $30 million investment to open an organic grain receiving and storage facility at Tradepoint Atlantic in eastern Baltimore County to meet the rising demand for organic feed ingredients for Perdue Foods and other companies in the region. The facility will also include grain and oilseed processing/milling and support more than 25 new jobs.
“Tradepoint Atlantic at the Port of Baltimore is ideally located to receive grain and supply organic customers throughout the Mid-Atlantic region,” said Dick Willey, president, Perdue AgriBusiness. “We work directly with local farmers and traders in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia to source organic grain and soybeans. This new complex will be a key part of an integrated supply chain that enables us to increase business and reduce the cost while maintaining the quality of our organic products.”
“We’re on a mission to make organic chicken more accessible to more consumers, but the limiting factor is the availability of organic grain,” said Perdue Farms CEO Randy Day. “Expanding our grain operations at Tradepoint Atlantic and the Port of Baltimore will support the continued growth of our organic poultry production in the region.”
Perdue is the leading producer of USDA certified organic chicken and the PERDUE® brand is the number one brand of chicken in the U.S. Perdue AgriBusiness sources, purchases, and processes agricultural commodities and offers a diverse portfolio of products, including grains, soybean meal, feed ingredients, and edible oils.
“Perdue has called Maryland home for nearly 100 years, and our administration is excited about their latest commitment to Baltimore County and our state,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “Global companies like Perdue who continue to invest and grow in our state prove that Maryland is truly open for business.”
“Perdue’s decision to locate their new grain processing facility in the Baltimore region speaks to the continued commitment of this company to Maryland,” said Maryland Commerce Secretary Mike Gill. “Locating at Tradepoint Atlantic gives Perdue Agribusiness a strategic advantage to be close to a number of major interstates, rail lines, and our world-class Port of Baltimore, making deliveries to customers in the region fast and efficient.”
“Perdue joins FedEx, Amazon, Under Armour and Pasha Automotive in recognizing the advantages of Tradepoint Atlantic – a great Sparrows Point location next to the Port of Baltimore. Perdue’s organic grain and storage facility will feed their business, and our economic growth, through $30 million in new private investment,” said Will Anderson, director of the Baltimore County Department of Economic and Workforce Development.
“Tradepoint Atlantic is proud to add another premier brand like Perdue AgriBusiness to the growing list of world-class organizations that have chosen to locate facilities within the industrial park. We are excited that Perdue will leverage the strategic and logistical advantages our site provides to supply more organic foods to Baltimore and the surrounding Mid-Atlantic region,” said Tradepoint Atlantic Chief Commercial Officer Kerry Doyle. “By bringing grain and oilseed processing and milling to Tradepoint Atlantic, we continue to diversify our tenant base across a variety of port-related uses. Perdue’s investment at Tradepoint will bring more healthy options for consumers along with job opportunities to the Baltimore region.”
To assist with project costs, the Maryland Department of Commerce has approved a $350,000 grant through Advantage Maryland (formerly the Maryland Economic Development Assistance Authority and Fund (MEDAAF). Baltimore County is working with the company and the County Council on approval of a conditional loan. The company is also eligible for various tax credits including the state’s Job Creation Tax Credit, Enterprise Zone tax credits, and the More Jobs for Marylanders Tax Credit, which incentivizes manufacturers to create new jobs in the state.
