Missouri Gov. Mike Parson participated in the ground breaking ceremony for American Foods Group, LLC’s (AFG) new state-of-the-art beef processing facility in Warren County. The company broke ground at its site near Wright City, marking the beginning of a project expected to generate $1 billion in annual economic impact in the state of Missouri.

“As a third-generation farmer and cattleman myself, I am proud to welcome AFG to Missouri. This is a major development that will benefit Missouri’s agricultural producers and consumers for years to come,” Gov. Parson said. “With $94 billion contributed to our economy annually, we appreciate that agriculture is our No. 1 industry. AFG’s investment in Missouri further signals to the nation and world what we’ve known all along, that Missouri is the best place for companies to grow and expand. We couldn’t be more excited for AFG’s expansion in Missouri.”

AFG is investing $800 million in the new 775,000 square feet facility. The company plans to create more than 1,300 new jobs in the region with an annual payroll of approximately $80 million.

“As highlighted in the STL 2030 Jobs Plan, our region’s agricultural assets have long served as an economic engine. American Foods Group’s facility will bolster the economy for local farmers and agriculture businesses,” said Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc. “The family-owned company complements our already thriving agricultural and agtech strengths and their investment in good-paying jobs in Warren County will benefit our metro for years to come. This win — following a multi-state and metro search — also underscores that St. Louis can go head-to-head with any other region on the merits.”

AFG is family-owned and employs more than 4,500 individuals across the United States. The company evaluated multiple locations for its newest facility where they plan to process 2,400 cattle per day.

The company plans to be fully operational by the end of 2024.