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Supervisors support CJ project

Campbell: ‘it’s absolutely incredible’

A planned $20 million expansion of the CJ Bio America plant was endorsed by the Webster County Board of Supervisors Tuesday morning.

The project will create about 25 new jobs.

The board unanimously approved a measure endorsing the company’s application for some state tax credits.

In the coming weeks, the board is also expected to approve an agreement with the company in which the county will rebate most of the increased property taxes it would pay over a 10-year period.

”We appreciate the fact that they decided to invest here in Webster County,” Supervisor Mark Campbell said Tuesday evening. ”They have plants all over the world and they decided to invest here. It’s absolutely incredible.”

He said the Iowa Economic Development Authority board is expected to act on the tax credits on Friday.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Dennis Plautz, the chief executive officer of the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance, thanked the board for its support of this project and its ”pro-active” approach to economic development, especially at the Iowa Crossroads of Global Innovation.

”if you weren’t doing what you’re doing we wouldn’t have some of the projects that we have,” he said.

The CJ Bio America plant is located in the ag industrial park west of Fort Dodge called Iowa’s Crossroads of Global Innovation. It opened in 2013.

The plant produces the amino acids lysine and threonine, which are added to feed for swine and poultry. The amino acids promote muscle growth in the animals.

The plant also produces a liquid soil amendment, which is a byproduct of making lysine. It restores nitrogen to the soil.

The upcoming $20,445,000 project will enable the plant to make more threonine. A new production area will be built directly south of the current plant.

The company’s investment includes:

• $11,435,000 in manufacturing machinery and equipment

• $8,890,000 in building construction

• $120,000 in computer hardware

The company is seeking $408,900 in investment tax credits from the state.

It is also seeking a refund of sales, service and use taxes paid during construction. That amount is estimated at $266,700.

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