GREEN FOREST, Ark. – Tyson Foods Inc. said Friday that it will add a chicken-deboning operation and 370 jobs at the company’s plant in Green Forest, Ark.

The payroll at the facility will reportedly increase by about $15 million a year. The new installation is expected to cost about $11 million.

Reports said that the deboning workers will earn $12 to $13.50 an hour, plus 40 cents extra for night workers, higher than other line workers for the company.

Tyson may provide bus transportation for workers from Huntsville and Harrison, and the company has talked with developers about the need for new, affordable housing in the Berryville and Green Forest area, a company news release reportedly said.

Tracy Tedder, manager of the facility, told the media that deboning at the plant instead of shipping fresh chickens to other plants for deboning would be more efficient and should result in improved yield.

Tyson currently has 1,200 workers at Green Forest and 1,300 workers at Berryville.

Source: Associated Press