Area Development
ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston, a division of ConAgra Foods, Inc., will invest approximately $200 million to open an environmentally friendly processing plant in Delhi, Louisiana. The company says the new facility will initially employ 275 people at initial opening -- currently scheduled for November 2010 -- and should create a total of 500 new direct jobs with additional planned expansion. Lamb Weston is a supplier of frozen potato, sweet potato, appetizer, and vegetable products, and the new facility will process regional sweet potatoes into fries and related products. "Not only is the state of Louisiana known for its high-quality sweet potatoes, it offers a great environment for business and a skilled work force," says Jeff DeLapp, Lamb Weston division president. The company says the building will follow Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards for environmentally sustainable construction, which will allow for substantial reduction in energy usage and water conservation, incorporating such features as natural lighting and minimally irrigated landscaping. The state will provide ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston with a grant of $32.4 million to $37.4 million toward plant processing and site infrastructure; the company will also receive property tax exemption and work force training as part of the incentives package.