ANGOLA — Miller Poultry is planning a $13.5 million expansion at its Orland facility, officials say.
On Tuesday morning officials from Miller and Steuben County Economic Development Corp. plan to request tax abatement from the Steuben County Council for the expansion.
Miller has been working with SCEDC and the Indiana Economic Development Corp. on its plans, email correspondence among local officials say.
“As you can see, they are now estimating $13.5 million investment,” said an email from SCEDC Executive Director Dave Koenig to Steuben County Council President Rick Shipe.
Miller plans to invest $9 million in new building construction and $4 million in equipment, Koenig said.
“They have 550 employees between the two operating entities at the Steuben County facility, and (are) still projecting 10 new jobs this year. The four year State projection includes 34 employees. My guess is that they are a year or two away from 600 total employees in Orland,” Koenig said.
Miller Poultry has been in operation since 1942. The company remains family owned.
The Orland facility became part of the Miller operation in 1992 when it purchased Booth Poultry.
Following a number of expansions and changes the company processes 35,000 birds a day.
Miller contracts with area farmers to raise their chickens for processing. The company even owns it own feed mill to supply its growers to ensure consistency in the chickens and guarantee that the birds are all natural.
“Our locally home-grown chickens are fed a corn and soy-based diet with no antibiotics, no artificial ingredients or coloring, no hormones, which is produced at our own feed mill in New Paris,” company President Galen Miller said in a statement on the company’s webpage.