LAND O' FROST ANNOUNCES NEW FACILITY IN MADISONVILLE

Frankfort, Ky. - Governor Ernie Fletcher and Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Gene Strong along with officials from the Madisonville/Hopkins County Economic Development Corporation were on hand today to announce Land O'Frost, a family-owned manufacturer of pre-packaged lunchmeats, as its newest corporate neighbor in a community welcome ceremony held in Madisonville.

"I am very pleased that Land O'Frost has decided to locate a new facility in Madisonville as this will bring hundreds of much-needed jobs to the Hopkins County area and Western Kentucky, " stated Governor Fletcher. "My administration will remain committed to growing jobs and opportunity throughout this great Commonwealth as this announcement is certain to help make life better for countless Kentucky families."

Land O'Frost is the 6th largest brand of retail lunchmeats in the nation. The Land O'Frost brand includes Land O'Frost Premium® lunchmeats, Land O'Frost DeliShaved® lunchmeats, Land O'Frost® Thin Sliced Lunchmeats, Land O'Frost® Canadian-style Bacon, Dagwood's® brand lunchmeats and Taste Escapes® brand lunchmeats. The company also manufactures specialty meat products sold to restaurants and major food manufacturers.

"Land O'Frost is a 46 year old family business that puts down deep roots," said Donna Van Eekeren, Land O'Frost CEO. " We've been in Lansing, Illinois since 1969 and in Searcy, Arkansas since 1976. We are very excited about building our third facility in Madisonville. With a history of longevity in our employee base and strong ethical values, we searched long and hard for a community that mirrored these attributes. We feel we found that in Madisonville. We look forward to a mutually prosperous long term relationship with your community."

"We are proud of the tremendous growth the Land O'Frost brand has experienced over the past decade," added Chuck Niementowski, Land O'Frost President. "Our expansion to Madisonville is a key part of our future growth strategy. We are looking forward to building a state-of-the-art facility that is a model for the industry."

Land O'Frost has nearly 1,000 employees at its facilities in Illinois and Arkansas. The company plans to construct a 175,000 square foot USDA approved facility on a 28 acre site off of 41-A and anticipates the eventual employment of several hundred Kentuckians. The project represents a $49 million investment in the Commonwealth.

"Food products is a target industry our Economic Development Corporation has been striving to locate in Hopkins County over the past few years," stated Danny Koon, Executive Director of the Madisonville/Hopkins County Economic Development Corporation. "Land O'Frost is a great addition to our local manufacturing base and I am pleased to have this opportunity to officially welcome them to our community and know that our quality workforce will make them very successful for decades to come."

"We are pleased to have yet another new corporate citizen in Madisonville and we appreciate the new jobs that Land O'Frost will bring to our community," added Mayor Karen L. Cunningham, City of Madisonville. "Land O'Frost is a family-owned company that has taken America by storm. We look forward to a long and rewarding relationship with Land O'Frost."

"Land O'Frost's commitment to Hopkins County is a very exciting event for those of us involved in county government and economic development," said Hopkins County Judge Executive Patricia Hawkins. "Today the Van Eekerens continue to pursue their family's vision and remain committed to the highest standards. We proudly welcome the Land O'Frost family into our family."

Land O'Frost has received preliminary approval from the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) for tax credits under the Kentucky Rural Economic Development Act (KREDA), a program aimed at increasing manufacturing employment in the Commonwealth.

The Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development is the primary state agency in Kentucky responsible for creating new jobs and new investment in the state. New business investment in Kentucky in 2003 totaled more than $1.56 billion with the creation of just over 13,800 new jobs. Information on available development sites, workforce training, incentive programs, community profiles, small business development and other resources is available at http://www.thinkkentucky.com/.