Arbyrd, Missouri

The community:
Named for A.R. Byrd, a local citizen, the city was incorporated in 2002 and is home to about 600 people. Arbyrd is in Dunklin Country, one of three counties located in the southeastern-most part of the state also known as the "Boot heel" because of the shape of its boundaries. Nearby towns include Kennett, home of Sheryl Crow, and Hornersville, home of Wickers BBQ sauce and Major Ray, a 19th century circus performer later known as the public face of Buster Brown shoes. Primarily an agricultural area, the rich soil is ideal for soybeans, rice and cotton. Watermelons, cantaloupe and corn are also grown here.

Operations:
Located on the Missouri/Arkansas state line, this production area was added to bridge the harvest schedule between Pearsall, Texas, and Charleston, Missouri. With its loamy sand and early June harvest startup, it has proven to be a valuable, high quality chip potato area. A new grading facility, complete with an office and quality control complex, was completed in 2002. We are currently building a packaging facility here for red, yellow and white table-stock potatoes.

Employees:
Black Gold at Arbyrd has nearly 20 full-time employees and adds about 45 seasonal employees during the harvest season.