Wholesome Valley Farms showcased the progress on its new greenhouses and other value-added agriculture related projects on Monday, January 23, 2017. Wholesome Valley Farms will invest $12 million over 5 years to repurpose the abandoned egg processing plant in Berino, creating hydroponic greenhouses, seed drying rooms, and cotton seed milling. They will create 90 permanent jobs over the same period. Wholesome Valley Farms will also conduct traditional farming operations adjacent to the facility, hiring up to 90 seasonal workers every year.
“With this announcement, we are experiencing the growth of new industry and opportunity rooted in the historical agricultural assets of the region”, stated Davin Lopez, President and CEO of the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance. “After over a year working closely with the company and community, we are proud to help bring this project to fruition.”
“We are humbled by the support from the people of Berino and we look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with the community,” said Jay Hill Farm Manager for Wholesome Valley Farms. “Because of the community support and the LEDA incentives that Governor Martinez has championed, we are able to bring life back to this abandoned facility.”
Wholesome Valley Farms is also applying for the New Mexico Environment Department’s Voluntary Remediation and Brownfield loan to assist in remediate polluted groundwater at the Berino facility. The program exists to help convert abandoned, blighted, or potentially contaminated property to useable sites that qualify for redevelopment, investment, or re-sale.
The New Mexico Economic Development Department will invest up to $620,000 in Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) funds in Wholesome Valley Farms’ new facility. LEDA is New Mexico’s closing fund, a tool that recruits new businesses to the state while helping those that are already here grow and thrive.
“It’s amazing to see our business incentives in action and how they bring jobs to New Mexico,” said Governor Martinez. “We’re going to continue fighting for the tools and reforms that are helping us grow and diversify our economy so companies like these can thrive and lift our communities up.”
