Efforts under way to aid turkey plant
This week, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s office announced that efforts were under way to prevent a shutdown at Moroni Feed Company, a co-op of turkey growers that produces the Norbest brand.
Company officials said last week that because of skyrocketing prices of corn, a main component in turkey feed, the business had become unprofitable.
The company's answer to the problem was to shut down production for about three months, a move that would have affected about 450 workers, some of them permanently. Such action by the largest nongovernment employer in Sanpete County would have a significant impact on the local economy, and perhaps even a small affect on the state's overall economy as well.
But the governor had an answer of his own.
"Upon hearing about this, he directed GOED (the Governor's Office of Economic Development) to begin working on it. This is a thing they've been very aware of and want to do everything they can to alleviate the situation," said Lisa Roskelley, the governor's spokeswoman. "GOED is looking at all the options the state has at its disposal."
"We're going to various government agencies and programs to see what's available to help the situation," said Jason Perry, GOED's executive director.
Foremost among those agencies are the state and federal departments of agriculture.
"Right now, we've been going through financials to see what the picture really looks like for them, so that we can match the right government organization to the problem," Perry said. "That's what's been happening this entire day."
Perry said the assistance package that is eventually put together could include a mix of low-interest loans, tax incentives and perhaps federal grant money. Perry did not say what amount of monetary assistance was being sought.
"We certainly have a dollar range that we have just gathered from the company today, but we've not had our economists review that. I wouldn't feel comfortable saying we have a dollar amount yet," he said Wednesday.
Neither did he indicate a timeline for the package to be finalized and presented. "It's always a process to make sure we understand exactly what the needs are, and that we are prudent with taxpayer dollars as we assist," he said.
"With a co-op, there's a whole bunch of people feeding into that system. We have to be very thoughtful about where you apply the assistance to make sure it's felt throughout the entire system. It's important that we find the real source of need and help and remedy that," he said.
Recent comments
Call in ICE first. Then I will consider spending my taxpayer monies...
scarecrow | July 4, 2008 at 1:59 p.m.
- Tweeters with Utah ties 12:50 a.m.
- Twitter lets fans communicate, interact 12:49 a.m.
- Jazz brass debate Millsap match 12:17 a.m.
- Teacher faces new sex charges 12:09 a.m.
- BYU professor to work on Hebrew Bible 12:08 a.m.
- Mormon Times national calendar 12:08 a.m.
- John Calvin's 500th birthday 12:08 a.m.
- Dinner Diva: Frugal grocery tips 12:08 a.m.
- FlyLady: Why is home messy? 12:08 a.m.
- Pageants inspire thousands 12:07 a.m.
- LDS seminary principal arrested
- Reactions on Boozer speculation
- Jazz down Oklahoma City
- Jazz talking Boozer trade?
- Animals removed from filthy home
- Tainted beef sold in Utah stores
- Sleepy Ridge offers much for many
- 2 Tooele police officers fired
- Let's bid 'Eli Stone' a fond farewell
- Baseball teams fear 'haunted' hotel
- LDS seminary principal arrested
142 - Bronco collecting a galaxy of recruits
141 - Jazz talking Boozer trade?
136 - Blazers may offer Millsap a contract
123 - Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
94 - Jazz brass debate Millsap match
88 - Fairness of BCS debated
81 - Chaffetz eyes challenging Bennett
74 - Letters: Single-payer system best
72 - Services bids farewell to Jackson
70
As more and more dads are put out of work in this economy, I've been...
The photographs are mysterious, brooding, dark. They show dimples and...
Didn't Obama and Biden just admit to the fact that the stimilus programs were...
The last part of the article about Cowherd is classic!!! I normally like the...
This man was my teacher in high school. He is my friend, he was like a father...
I like millsap, but portland just burried themselves. They made themselves...
It's amazing how quickly society is willing to vaccinate it's children with...
The first income tax was introduced during the Civil War, that's only 70...
If he really did what the evidence seems to show, I don't think he should be...
Utah needs Portland too much. It's much harder than you think to find good...
stacy, have you ever eaten there ??
I had Brother Pratt at Viewmont High School my sophomore year... I was really...

