Wapakoneta welcomes a new crop of Northerners to their West Central Ohio Industrial Park. Golden Fresh Farms, a company currently operating in Canada, will grow tomatoes, cucumbers, and vegetables in their high-tech, sustainable greenhouses.
"So we don't waste anything, fertilizer, water, within our product, so the yield, we'll be able to keep that product longer because it's in a controlled environment, so the outside factors are very limited in affecting our crops," said Paul Mastronardi, an owner of Golden Fresh Farms.
Now in the first stage, the entire eight phase project is expected to be completed in 2020.
"The first phase investment's $22.5 million dollars, but overall it could be potentially about $250 million," said Mastronardi.
The location off Interstate 75 is ideal for vendors and employees, in the first phase they expect to employ 52 people, and by the end of they project they'll have around 400 employees.
"We look at it holistically, what's the spin off affect of tractors, building the facility, trucks coming in and out everyday, mechanics that work on machinery, etc.," said Aaron Pitts, Senior Managing Director of Agribusiness and Biohealth for JobsOhio, "So, we look at the total economic impact being more than the 50 direct jobs."
The company says traditional field farming produces about 9.5 pounds of tomatoes per square meter, but their greenhouses produce around 154 pounds. Each vine picked and shipped right from Wapakoneta.
"The locals are thrilled about the prospects of going into their retailer and turning over the box and seeing Wapakoneta represented throughout the United States really," said Pitts.
They hope to start planting in December to see the first crops in January of 2017.
