Dale T. Smith and Sons Meat Packing Co. has announced plans to move from its 60-year home in Draper, Utah, to northern Jerome County in Idaho, creating the only industrial beef processing facility in the state. The facility is planning to open in spring of 2015, reports www.magicvalley.com.

The $7.5 million, 25,000-square-foot facility would create 100 jobs in its first year of operation, and another 100 jobs in its second year, said Arlen Crouch, Jerome 20/20 economic development group board member.

The operation will provide an outlet for processing cattle in the Magic Valley.

“The city, the county and Jerome 20/20 have all united to make this happen,” Crouch said. “It’s a new deal. The atmosphere has changed. It’s a successful thing that everybody has worked on. I think this truly is a new horizon.”

The Utah company currently processes about 500 Magic Valley cattle per week, so the move will allow the Idaho ranchers to finish and ship their cattle locally.

Crouch said the meat packer will be completely relocating its business from Utah to Jerome County. The new facility will be a complete upgrade from its existing one, he said.

“Not even on the same drawing board,” he said. “This is an old company. One of the reasons they’re moving is because growth is forcing them out. This will be a very high-tech, industrial operation compared to what they have right now.”

Source: magicvalley.com