Albert Lea has been researching, in great detail, how it can provide a package that will put it ahead of St. Joseph, Missouri in the competition for Premium Pork LLC.

The research has determined two things: St. Joseph has a cheaper waste water treatment system but Albert Lea has cheaper water rates. Still, the waste water treatment is a key factor for Premium Pork, according to City Manager Paul Sparks.

“Missouri has lower standard;, they are far less strict than ours (for waste treatment),” he said. “We have to neutralize that; we’re working on how we can do that right now.”

Pam Bishop, vice president of Greater Jobs Inc., said the city is working on the issue on a few different levels.

“We are hoping the state might be able to find some additional funds that could close the different costs between what the company would pay each place,” she said. “Anything we can do as a community to try to alleviate the additional costs, will be helpful in making the best package we can deliver for the company.”

She also said that company engineers visited the city last week to look at possible sites. The company is working on sites on their own. Bishop said they have been happy with what is available and said engineers will be testing soils to give the company a recommendation on land.

In St. Joseph, the company would likely have to deal with 4-5 property owners to buy land big enough.

Sparks said that Albert Lea is well located. The company, a cooperative of many farmers, will have many of its hogs in north Iowa and Minnesota.

Finally, Sparks stressed that the company has no connections with Seaboard Farms, Tyson, or Smithfield.

“I would not be very willing to get engaged with one of those companies,” he said.