Franklin Connection - Serving Franklin County, WA

PASCO – Darigold Inc. announced today that it will be a new, state-of-the-art premium protein and butter plant here.

The 400,000-square-foot, $500 million plant is being designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25%, compared to existing plants.

The announcement follows an agreement with the Port of Pasco.

“Our producers have been at the vanguard of the dairy sector for over 100 years, constantly building on their outstanding record of sustainability and stewardship practices,” Darigold CEO Stan Ryan said. “They are proud to boost the co-op’s competitiveness with this future-forward investment in a next-generation dairy facility, preserving the legacy of nearly 350 multigenerational farms.”

Company officials said the new plant will use anaerobic digestion technology to extract methane, which will power part of the operation.“We are thrilled to welcome Darigold to Pasco and the Reimann as the anchor tenant in the Port’s largest industrial park. It’s incredibly rare to attract a project of this size and scope,” Port Executive Director Randy Hayden said. “Darigold’s state-of-the-art facility will use the latest technology, serve as a model of sustainability, and create a new market for our region’s ag producers.”

The new plant is expected to create about 1,000 jobs, officials said.

Site development will start early next year, and the company plans for production to begin late in 2023 or early 2024.