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Agribusiness / Food Processing

Did You Know?

Chilton County is considered the peach capital of America, for the quality and quantity.

Chilton County New Announcement

Alabama Farm Center – $100 million investment

In 2019 Chilton County was selected as the site of a $100 million investment for the planned Alabama Farm Center. Chilton County was selected due to its central location on I-65 and its access to cities such as Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, and Montgomery. The announced Farm Center will be home to rodeos, fairs, livestock shows, concerts, and festivals.  Click here to read more about the Alabama Farm Center investment.

Chilton County’s Cluster of Agribusiness/Food Industries

Alabama Farm Center

  • The announced Alabama Farm Center will create up to 400 jobs and is projected to have an annual economic impact of $55 million.  The center will include a 5,000-seat air-conditioned arena, 150,000 square foot exhibition building, 400-stall horse barn, 400 recreational vehicle hookups and a variety of other barns and arenas. Click here for more information about the center.

Merchants Corp

  • Merchants Corp operates a distribution center in Chilton County, constructed in 1999. The facility comprises of 200,000 square feet of dry, refrigerated and frozen warehouse space with 8 million cubic feet of storage space. Recently, a $8 million warehouse expansion was made, adding 40 additional jobs. Click here for more information about Merchant Corp.

Major Agribusiness/Food Companies in Alabama

US. Foods

  • Located one hour from Chilton County, US. Foods is a leading restaurant supplier for the Montgomery area.  Specializing as a food distributor, this facility employs approximately 600 people.  Click here to read more about US. Foods

Koch Foods

Zeigler

  • Located one hour from Chilton County, Zeigler is a meat production company that originated in Alabama.  The facility in Selma employs approximately 190 people. Click here to read more about Zeigler

Wayne Farms

  • Wayne Farms operates a variety of fresh processing facilities and prepared foods facilities in several Alabama Cities including: Union Springs, Albertville, Dothan, Enterprise, and Decatur. Across these Alabama facilities, Wayne Farms employs over 4,440 people. Click here to learn more about Wayne Farms

Number of Agribusiness/Food Companies Within Our Labor Shed

  • 36 Crop Production Locations
  • 29 Animal Production Locations
  • 7 Other Animal Food Manufacturing Companies
  • 5 Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products Companies
  • 5 Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers Companies
  • 3 Spice and Extract Manufacturing Companies
  • 3 Cotton Ginning Locations
  • 3 Nonchocolate Confectionery Manufacturing Companies
  • 3 Livestock Merchant Wholesalers Companies
  • 3 Poultry Processing Locations
  • 3 Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering Companies
  • 2 Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing Companies
  • 2 Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing Companies
  • 1 Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging Company

Skilled Labor

The labor shed has seen the following growth in Agribusiness/Food related jobs over the last 5 years:

  • 168% growth in people employed in Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging
  • 65% growth in people employed as Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other
  • 55% growth in people employed in Livestock Merchant Wholesalers
  • 52% growth in people employed as Food Batchmakers
  • 42% growth in people employed in Spice and Extract Manufacturing
  • 34% growth in people employed in Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
  • 26% growth in people employed in Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing
  • 20% growth in people employed as Bakers
  • 18% growth in people employed in Timber Tract Operations
  • 14% growth in people employed in Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing
  • 13% growth in people employed as First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
  • 13% growth in people employed as Cooks, Restaurant
  • 10% growth in people employed as Chefs and Head Cooks
  • 10% growth in people employed in Farm Labor Contractors and Crew Leaders
  • 10% growth in people employed as Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
  • 5% growth in people employed as Food Service Managers

The Chilton County labor shed is home to highly skilled workers in the Agribusiness/Food sector.  Below are a few examples of how our workforce compares to the United States average:

  • 9.6 times the US average of people employed in Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing
  • 9.3 times the US average of people employed in Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging
  • 6.1 times the US average of people employed in Spice and Extract Manufacturing
  • 5.7 times the US average of people employed in Timber Tract Operations
  • 4.4 times the US average of people employed in Cotton Ginning
  • 4.0 times the US average of people employed in Support Activities for Forestry
  • 3.5 times the US average of people employed in Nonchocolate Confectionery Manufacturing
  • 3.1 times the US average of people employed in Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
  • 3 times the US average of people employed in Livestock Merchant Wholesalers
  • 2.6 times the US average of people employed in Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing
  • 2.1 times the US average of people employed as Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
  • Over the US average of people employed as Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
  • Over the US average of people employed as Food Processing Workers, All Other

The following quantities of skilled workers are currently employed in our region:

  • 1,676 employed as First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
  • 1,156 employed as Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
  • 719 employed as Food Preparation Workers
  • 510 workers employed in Crop Production
  • 502 employed as Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers
  • 438 workers employed in Logging
  • 412 workers employed in Animal Production
  • 404 workers employed in Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging
  • 322 employed as Food Service Managers
  • 310 employed as Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
  • 303 workers employed in Poultry Processing
  • 260 workers employed in Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing
  • 234 workers employed in Farm Labor Contractors and Crew Leaders
  • 222 workers employed in Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers
  • 189 workers employed in Spice and Extract Manufacturing
  • 165 employed as Butchers and Meat Cutters
  • 164 employed as Food Batchmakers
  • 160 employed as Bakers
  • 112 workers employed in Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing
  • 107 workers employed in Support Activities for Forestry
  • 94 workers employed in Nonchocolate Confectionery Manufacturing

Agribusiness/Food Supply Chain

The Chilton County labor shed has an advantage to recruit Agribusiness/Food companies based on a review of industry purchases within the region and supply chain. Companies within these sectors would have an opportunity due to the demand for Agribusiness/Food products. This is based on the following supply chain statistics:

  • $50.1 million Other Animal Food Manufacturing products are being purchased within the Chilton County Region. Currently, only $3.5 million of these products are being manufactured in the region, with over $46 million being imported from outside the region.
  • $24.1 million Wet Corn Milling products are being purchased within the Chilton County Region. Currently, none of these products are being manufactured in the region, with over $24 million being imported from outside the region.
  • $20.8 million Soybean and Other Oilseed Processing products are being purchased within the Chilton County Region. Currently, none of these products are being manufactured in the region, with over $20 million being imported from outside the region.
  • $16 million Meat Processing products are being purchased within the Chilton County Region. Currently, only $227,000 of these products are being manufactured in the region, with over $15 million being imported from outside the region.
  • $14.1 million Cheese Manufacturing products are being purchased within the Chilton County Region. Currently, only $706,000 of these products are being manufactured in the region, with over $13 million being imported from outside the region.

Training and Education

AIDT is recognized as one of the top 5 workforce training agencies in the US. Their services include:

Alabama Technology Network (ATN):

Today’s demanding global marketplace not only encourages continual improvements in profitability and productivity—it demands it. That is where this innovative collaboration comes in, a strategic partnership between Alabama’s community colleges, the University of Alabama System, Auburn University, and the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama.

Strategic advice and training is available from ATN in more than a half dozen areas including:

University and Community College Programs

The Auburn University, located less than one hour from Chilton County, offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in their College of Agriculture.

  • Additionally, Auburn offers a Food Science Program which focuses on chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics engineering, and nutrition to develop concepts that will produce foods that are safe, palatable, healthy, and economical.

Jefferson State Community College offers Manufacturing and Technology field of study focusing on the following:

  • Robotics
  • Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC’s)
  • Computer-Aided Drafting/Design (CADD)
  • Electronics
  • Automotive/Automated Manufacturing
  • Bio-Medical Equipment Technology
  • Welding
  • Hydraulics/Pneumatics
  • Robotic
  • Welding
  • Industrial Maintenance Technology
  • 3D Printing

Utilities

Electric Utilities:

Alabama Power

  • Operated by the Southern Company
  • $5.5 billion in annual revenue
  • Supplies over 1.4 million customers
  • Alabama Power actively supports economic and community development throughout its area.
    • Click Here to read more about economic development support.

Central Alabama Electric Co-Op

  • Central Alabama Electric Cooperative is a not for profit, member-owned electric distribution utility.
  • The cooperative’s service area covers most of the rural areas of Autauga, Elmore, Coosa and, Chilton counties as well as members in Tallapoosa, Talladega, Bibb, Perry, Dallas and, Lowndes counties.
  • The cooperative is a $199 million company with 5,500 miles of line.
  • Central Alabama Electric Cooperative actively supports economic and community development throughout its area.
  • Click Here to read more about economic development support.

Natural Gas

Spire

  • Serves more than 1.7 million customers
  • Fifth largest publicly traded natural gas company in the country

Transportation

Road Access

Chilton County is located on Interstate 65, halfway between Birmingham and Montgomery.

Class I Rail Access

Rail service is provided by CSX and Norfolk Southern.

Air Service

Chilton County has a municipal FBO airport with commercial service being available in Montgomery, Birmingham, both less than an hour away and Atlanta 2.5 hours away.