Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) announced today that $1,600,000 has been awarded to the Southern Aroostook Development Corporation (SADC) to assist in the construction of a manufacturing food-processing plant in Houlton.  This funding has been awarded through the U.S. Economic Development Administration and is expected to create 17 new jobs in southern Aroostook County.

“This facility will create new job opportunities in Aroostook County’s already vibrant agricultural industry, while also spurring manufacturing growth and building Maine’s economy,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement.  “We welcome the EDA’s continued investment in the Southern Aroostook Development Corporation, an organization that has been working to promote economic growth, preserve existing industries, and foster job creation throughout the County.”

This project will support the construction of a 12,000 square-foot murine food production facility in the Houlton Industrial Park, which is expected to manufacture four million pounds of laboratory research food annually for large research laboratories in Maine and California, including Jackson Lab in Ellsworth and Bar Harbor.  This project was spearheaded through the regional planning efforts led by SADC.

SADC, founded in 1998, is an economic enhancement organization dedicated to developing and expanding the economic base of southern Aroostook County.  EDA funds the SADC 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.