JBS Breaks Ground on Perry Sausage Facility Creating 500 Jobs

By Andi Anderson

A new chapter is beginning for the Perry, Iowa, community as JBS USA breaks ground on its first sausage production facility in the United States. The $135 million plant will bring an estimated 500 jobs to the area and is expected to be operational by the end of next year.

The groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 14 drew local and state leaders, including Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, Economic Development Authority Director Debi Durham, and Perry Mayor Dirk Cavanaugh. Mayor Cavanaugh expressed optimism, noting the facility would “bring good jobs back to Perry” and attract new businesses and residents.

The announcement comes after a difficult year for Perry. In June 2024, Tyson Foods closed its pork processing plant, impacting nearly 1,300 workers—about 60% of whom lived in the town. Combined with a tragic school shooting earlier that year, the closures left deep scars on the 8,000-person community.

Durham commended Perry residents for their strength, saying, “This community embodies the idea that you are more than your circumstances. With every unforeseen challenge or tragedy, you show what you are made of—hard work, heart and optimism.”

The Iowa Economic Development Authority has approved $12 million in tax benefits through the High Quality Jobs program, while the city of Perry will offer $10 million in tax rebates over a decade.

JBS CEO Wesley Batista Filho said the plant would process 500,000 sows annually and produce 130 million pounds of sausage, part of which will go to a newly acquired JBS facility in Ankeny, which will prepare ready-to-eat bacon and sausage for the food industry.

Filho emphasized the company’s commitment to long-term investment, saying the Perry facility was designed “to be here 100 years from now.” With support from local and state partners, this project signals a fresh start for Perry and a significant boost for Iowa’s agricultural economy.

Photo Credit: pexels-karolina-grabowska