Smithfield, N.C. — Agrium Inc.’s Crop Production Services (CPS) has chosen North Carolina’s Johnston County as the location for a $10 million distribution center. Confirmation of the selection came from the Johnston County board of commissioners and CPS, headquartered in Denver. County officials said the distribution center will be located just off U.S. 70 in Princeton, adding that the new distribution center would open sometime next year. Peggy Anderson, the county’s director of economic development, told the local press that the new center will create eight jobs and might use Johnston Community College to train employees. To help lure the company to Johnston, Anderson added, commissioners agreed to give Agrium a series of grants designed to offset its property taxes over the first five years. In total, the company will receive about $360,000 from the county. “This is typical of what we do for new businesses,” Anderson said. CPS spokesman Paul Poister confirmed for Green Markets that the Johnston County board did act favorably on the grant package earlier this month. He noted that CPS has several retail locations in the area. “We are enthusiastic to be a larger part of the community,” Poister stated. “We have closed the purchase of the property on Commercial Drive in Princeton. Our intent is to develop the site with construction of a fertilizer distribution terminal. The facility will include a warehouse, bagging facility, and administration building. We do not have a date for the start of the next phase of the project.” Smithfield is also the location of the Johnston County agriculture center.
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