Kentucky Fresh Harvest- ground breaking in Lincoln County
Kentucky Fresh Harvest and Stanford-area officials broke ground on a $10.7 million, 75-job facility to produce cherry tomatoes.
With the start of site preparation today in Stanford, Kentucky Fresh Harvest’s first phase of construction gets underway. The initial phase will include a plant nursery to begin growing seedlings as builders move on to construct a larger grow house.
The company will begin hiring in early 2017 and expects to ship its first cherry tomatoes in May or June. Company owners expect the facility – anticipated to be fully operational within a year – to produce between 3 and 4 million pounds of cherry tomatoes annually. Of the 75 jobs, approximately 15 will require advanced degrees or training, including managerial roles, while the remaining positions will be among greenhouse and packing house teams.
Founded in Lincoln County, Kentucky Fresh Harvest is majority owned by Kentucky Hi Tech Greenhouses LLC (KYHTG). A group of Lincoln County investors collaborated on the project to help bring jobs and sustainable agriculture to Stanford while supplying the U.S. market with affordable, fresh produce.
Pictured: Lincoln County Judge/Executive Jim Adams, Kentucky Hi Tech Greenhouses partner Kenny Back, and Secretary of State Alison Grimes.