The Greater Austin Chamber and the Taylor Economic Development Corporation joined with company leaders of US Aquaculture on Thursday for a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of US Aquaculture's new plant in Taylor. The $5 million facility will produce environmentally pure, organically raised fish that will be available to customers within hours of being packaged.

"We are happy you decided on Taylor," Taylor Mayor Don Hill told the crowd. "We know that you could have gone anywhere in the country."

US Aquaculture Chairman Todd Fisher said the New York based company chose Taylor because the entire area worked to get their business.

"The Greater Austin Chamber and Taylor Economic Development staff went out of their way to work with us and bring us to this area," Fisher told reporters. "You don't find that everywhere. We're glad to be here."

US Aquaculture broke ground on the 60,000 square foot building Thursday morning. The company plans to harvest 650,000 to 700,000 pounds of organic fish a year. Fisher explained that these fish will not be exposed to chemicals or the environmental stresses of living in lakes or oceans. US Aquaculture will initially create 20-30 good paying jobs with hopes of expanding. The Taylor location is the first of eight production facilities the company will open nationwide.

"The site selection process that Aquaculture went through to land here is a perfect example of our great regional partnership through Opportunity Austin," Dave Porter, Vice President of Economic Development, said.

This is the first regional Opportunity Austin "win" for 2005. Opportunity Austin is a five-year, five-county economic development initiative to create 72,000 jobs and a $14 billion positive economic impact on the economy. A successful recruiting initiative such as this demonstrates the area’s ability to work together for a better Austin region.

"The Opportunity Austin program has been a worthwhile investment for us," said John Nelson, President of the Taylor Economic Development Corporation. "Working collaboratively within the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce's framework allows us to reach prospects and make an impact we couldn't afford to on our own."