Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe helped celebrate the grand opening of Seven Hills Food Co., which started production this week in a Lynchburg plant that originally shut down 10 years ago.

The new company is the largest independent slaughter facility in Virginia, reports WDBJ News. Ryan Ford, Seven Hills owner, said that the company will create 43 new jobs, 17 of which have been filled already.

Ford says Seven Hills will give meat producers in our region a local buyer for their products.  The company also plans to carry out aggressive marketing and distribution, to help people outside Virginia learn more about our local meat producers.

"There's a demand right now from people who want to know more about where their food comes from, and being closely connected to their food," said Ford.  "This is a true farm to table operation."

Source: WDBJ News