Charles City’s Pure Prairie Farms Breaks Ground for Plant Expansion

Four months after the chicken processing plant in Charles City returned to operation under the new ownership of Pure Prairie Farms (PPF), company officials recently conducted a groundbreaking for expansion and remodeling of their facilities

Now branded as Pure Prairie Poultry (PPP), CEO Brian Roelofs led the groundbreaking ceremony at the former Dana Park on Thursday, March 16th.

Roelofs said the company hopes the expansion will be a recruitment tool for workers.

Roelofs also saluted City leaders for their work in helping to bring the plant back to life.

Expansion was made possible after PPP was awarded an almost $7 million USDA grant, a $2.3 million dollar training grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority, and an almost $39 million dollar USDA-backed loan designed to invest in smaller agriculture manufacturers.

The facility was closed in August of 2019 when former owner, Simply Essentials, shut it down. PPP returned it to operation in mid-November of 2022.

*KCHA/KZCE originally aired this story on March 17, 2023