DAVIS – Commissioner of Agriculture Walt Helmick, representatives from his office, representatives from the W.Va. Park Service and Corrections Department gathered Tuesday to tour the former Davis Center to consider the property as a site for a cannery.
“Back about two or three months ago, we spoke with the Commissioner of the Kenneth “Honey” Rubenstein Juvenile Center about the facility,” Helmick said. “We looked at the center because it is partially completed. We hope to tie into the parks, education and corrections for this project. In W.Va., we spend $7.3 billion on food and we only grow $725 million in food. We consume much more food than we grow in the state.”
Helmick said he was trying to promote a program where West Virginians would grow product that would be consumed by West Virginians to keep the economy within the state.
“In this case, we are looking at two canning possibilities,” Helmick said. “We hope to sell our product back to corrections, education and health and human services. We need shelf life for our product.”
Helmick said if the cannery goes into the former Davis Center, there would be one or two products canned at the facility.
“We hope to grow products in Tucker, Grant, Hardy, Hampshire, Mineral, Randolph and Barbour counties,” Helmick said. “We will bring in one, maybe two products the first year and are hopeful we can do this by next fall.”
“We think this facility is the best suited to start the process,” Helmick said. “We have a person that is looking at the cost of the canning equipment. In the beginning, we will just be using the gymnasium, but once we get here, I think the rest of the facility wraps together and becomes something that is a positive for W.Va. and certainly for Tucker County.”
Helmick said he feels good about the project and said he sees no pitfalls.
“We want to make sure we can be successful in what we want to do,” Helmick said. “The facility is big enough and it fits for what we want to do. We see a strong possibility we will be located here and located here soon.”
Davis Mayor Joe Drenning asked how many jobs the facility would bring to the area.
“I am not sure, but it will support lots of jobs around the state,” Helmick said. “It may bring 10, 15 or 20 jobs, but you have to look to the people in the county. People growing the product would benefit as well. It is difficult to say how many lives it would touch.”
Helmick said his vision for the Tucker County cannery is to can Blue Lake green beans.
“I want to be realistic – I don’t want to tell this number of people something that is a pipe dream,” Helmick said. “We have done a lot of work on this proposal. This area is the right area for us to do what we want to do. This facility is easier for us to reconstruct, rather than building from the ground up.”
Tucker County Commissioner Lowell Moore said he feels the cannery would be a great opportunity for Tucker County.
“We need to all work together to obtain our goals,” Moore said. “I spoke with Mr. Helmick and assured him we would work with him on anything he needed. Now is the time – Corridor H is at our back door, the facility is sitting idle and it could not be utilized for any better employment or business. For us, it is the chance of a lifetime and we need to pursue it.”
Moore said he felt everyone was on board with the project. “I am very enthused over the possibility.”
Diane Hinkle, Tucker County Commissioner, said the cannery would be a positive move from both an economic and community standpoint.
“This could be a real asset to our community,” Hinkle said. “Over the past few years, there has been a growing focus on developing small plot growers. One of the things I was most interested in is whether there would be a minimum for a vendor to supply this cannery. They said they will use growers with one, five or 10 acres up to the 100 acre producers.”
Hinkle said from a Tucker County standpoint, she sees this as a way to develop additional small plot growers.
“Obviously, it is a plus that they will be using a space that has been vacant for a number of years,” Hinkle said. “It’s a regional effort, so it brings more exposure to Tucker County and brings more opportunities and jobs here.”
“I think it is a great boost and a win-win for everybody,” Hinkle said. “For such a small county, people are interested in Tucker County. We have always been rich in natural resources, and I think people are beginning to realize that we are really rich in human resources. Our residents are resourceful, creative, and smart, and they know how to work and get things accomplished. They make the impossible happen. I think people are starting to appreciate what those of us who have lived here have always known.”
