Press Release
U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1.6 Million to Spur Manufacturing Growth in Houlton, Maine
Contact: EDA Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
February 12, 2019
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.6 million grant to the Southern Aroostook Development Corporation of Houlton, Maine, to help build an industrial building that will house a manufacturing food-processing plant that will produce dietetically-specific laboratory research mouse feed. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 17 new jobs and generate $4 million in private investment.
“Creating new opportunities for American manufacturing companies is a major priority for the Trump Administration,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “This investment in America’s manufacturing industry will build the Maine economy and help ensure the United States remains competitive.”
“This grant will help bring more jobs to the County,” said Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02). “Our state needs to look for new ways to bring Maine products to market and grow our economy. The food-processing plant built by this grant, along with the 17 new jobs it will create, will help to achieve those goals.”
This project will support the construction of the 12,000 square-foot Murine Food Production Facility, which is expected to manufacture four million pounds of laboratory research food annually for large research laboratories in Maine and California. This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Southern Aroostook Development Corporation. EDA funds the Southern Aroostook Development Corporation to bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment and create jobs.
About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.