Meat Plant Eyes Jerome to Expand

Jerome, Idaho ( KMVT-TV / KTWT-TV ) A new business is expected to move into Jerome bringing with it more than 100 jobs. It will be the only industrial beef processing facility in the state, Dale T. Smith and Sons Meat Packing Company. They plan to build a 25,000 square foot facility that will cost $7.5 million.  "They have been in Draper, Utah for over 50-years and the reason they are having to move is because they are land locked. Development has build up around them and to the point they aren't able to expand. They've been looking at our area for awhile,” said Executive Director Bob Richards, Jerome 20/20.  The reason they are moving in, a cow population of a half a million, according to the Executive Director of Jerome 20/20. "They will be about 7-miles north of Jerome, just to the east of Highway 93 and very close to the Jerome/Gooding line,” said Richards.  The company plans to bring 100 jobs and after the first year expand to another on100. "It's going to bring at full production 100 jobs, what a great opportunity to start the year off right out,” Jan Rogers, SIDEO. The facility is expected to open in spring 2015.