Speech
Anheuser Busch Announcement - Opening of Sidney Facility
Remarks of Governor Judy Martz
State Capitol
10/30/2002
Thank you, Ralph and thanks to all of you for being here today for this exciting announcement.
Economic development is the cornerstone of my administration. Since Karl and I took office nearly two years ago, our top priority has been to create good paying jobs in this quality environment.
Today, I am pleased to announce a specific result of our work in that area.
For the past few years, we have been working closely with Anheuser Busch to determine ways that the state and this company could work together in a mutually beneficial manner.
Last fall, I had the opportunity to meet with top officials from Anheuser Busch and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad in Sidney. From the state perspective, our goal was to show that our state offered the best advantages for AB to grow and expand.
We discussed ways that our state’s barley producers can better reap the benefit of producing top quality malt barley here in Montana.
We discussed the needs of Anheuser Busch to maintain and expand their sources of barley, and sought ways to meet those needs by looking for where we can expand barley production in Big Sky Country.
We discussed ways that Montana could help AB meet their goals of expansion right here in our state.
The result of those discussions is today’s announcement.
I am pleased today to report that Anheuser Busch will be placing a barley handling and storage facility in Sidney, Montana.
This facility will complement others already located in Fromberg, Fairfield and Conrad.
We just returned from Sidney, where we had the chance to meet with local growers to let those who will most directly benefit from the location of this facility know about AB’s decision.
I want to echo what I heard them say this morning by personally thanking Anheuser Busch for choosing to locate their facility in Montana.
I also thank the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad and the local growers in Sidney for their work to make this project a success.
We are pleased that AB has recognized the advantages Montana has for such a facility.
We are also pleased because today’s announcement is about much more than one facility. It is about providing quality jobs for Sidney area residents.
It’s about adding to Montana’s tax base. It’s about providing a location for eastern Montana producers to sell their top quality malt barley.
It’s about expanding production of malt barley in our state.
But, most of all, this announcement is about adding value to our state’s number one industry – and that is something we can all support.
I am confident that this facility will improve the awareness of Montana as a top producer of malt barley.
We applaud Anheuser-Busch’s confidence in the state of Montana as a viable location for the company’s future growth. We will do everything possible to help Anheuser-Busch become an even more successful corporate neighbor, in Sidney, and throughout the state of Montana.
I will now turn the podium to the folks from AB, who will provide more specifics about the economic impact of this facility.
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