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Much like the tiny seedlings that rise from the soil, an $87 million peanut shelling and storage plant is emerging in Atmore, Ala. The facility, encompassing more than 400,000 sq. ft., is scheduled to begin operations in December 2021 and should be fully complete by January 2022. “There will be somewhere around 350 jobs, direct and indirect, and that will have a big impact on Atmore’s economy,” said Atmore Mayor Jim Staff. “This will create a new and different city. I foresee new business, school programs, just a good difference to our community.” The Escambia County plant, located on more than 60 acres, will bring additional jobs to the area during peak production times. Staff also noted that the farmers, as part owner By Cindy Riley
CEG CORRESPONDENT
of the plant, will get 20 percent more for their crop. “This will be spent in our community,” Staff said. “They will be able to have better equipment, farm smarter and be more diverse.” Federal tax credits from United Bank Community Dev. Dept. provided $13 million of equity to this project. “Without this $13 million, the 100-plus farmers who own Coastal Growers would not be able to raise the $20 million necessary to help build the plant,” said Staff. “This plant is located in Atmore’s industrial park to the west of town and next to the CSX Railroad, and a rail spur that was necessary for this plant to operate could be installed with little cost. “This park had all the utilities necessary to operate any size plant. It is shovel ready for more.” Coastal Growers LLC held an official groundbreaking
ceremony in March 2021. Directed by a board, Coastal Growers is owned by a cooperative of farm families. Most, but not all, are based in Alabama. “Coastal Growers is proving that Alabama’s economy remains strong and is bouncing back from what has been a hard year,” Gov. Kay Ivey said to reporters. “This partnership is a win-win for Atmore, the surrounding communities and the state of Alabama.” The Alabama Farmers Federation (AFF) and the Alabama Peanut Producers Association (APPA) both played a key role in the project’s development. According to the APPA’s news release, the cooperative shelling plant model gives growers the opportunity to collectively sell on the shelled goods market, as opposed to the traditional farmers stock market. see PEANUTS page 2