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Yogurt Maker To Invest $100M, Hire 400 In Idaho

Agro Farma-owned Chobani will build a facility in Twin Falls to create jobs that start at $14/hour.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- A Magic Valley urban renewal organization and Twin Falls city council members have approved an agreement to bring a yogurt manufacturer to the region, along with 400 jobs.

The Times-News (http://bit.ly/tGCL5f) reports that the agreement was approved Thursday morning, clearing the way for Agro Farma-owned Chobani to build a facility in Twin Falls. A press conference with Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter and Lt. Gov. Brad Little is planned for late Thursday morning.

The deal between the Twin Falls City Council, the Southern Idaho Economic Development Organization and the yogurt company says the facility will provide 400 jobs to start, paying $14 an hour, with an estimated $100 million investment.

About $4.3 million in urban renewal money will go toward acquiring land, and almost $13 million more will go toward infrastructure including water lines, wastewater improvements and utilities. The city will chip in $6.75 million in tax dollars for wastewater pretreatment and sewer line improvements.

The plan is to have the facility open sometime next year.

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