Building the Future of Farming in the Mohawk Valley
A New Chapter
On a spring morning in Rome, shovels hit the ground on what is now the largest natural food manufacturing investment in the United States. Chobani’s new $1.2 billion dairy processing plant at the Griffiss Business and Technology Park is more than just a facility. At 1.4 million square feet, it represents a bold commitment to the Mohawk Valley, to New York farmers, and to the communities that have long defined this region.
When it opens, the plant will process more than 12 million pounds of milk each day. That adds up to more than a billion pounds of dairy products annually, making Chobani one of the largest buyers of raw milk in the state. It is a promise of stability for local farmers who have spent years weathering unpredictable markets. For the Jones and Collins families, and for hundreds of others across the Valley, it means their hard work finally has a dependable, long-term home.
Chobani’s founder and CEO, Hamdi Ulukaya, described the vision at the groundbreaking. This is not simply about building a factory. It is about creating an ecosystem that connects farmers, businesses, colleges, and communities. It is about driving new ideas, training the next generation of workers, and building opportunity in the very place where Chobani began.
The Ripple Effect
The impact will be felt across the Mohawk Valley and beyond. The project is expected to create more than 1,000 new jobs in Rome, nearly doubling Chobani’s New York workforce. It will also bring a ripple effect of growth, boosting demand for trucking, packaging, equipment, and local services that support the food supply chain. The state has pledged more than $70 million in performance-based tax credits to support the project, while Oneida County invested $6 million to make the site shovel-ready. Leaders at every level have called it transformative. Governor Kathy Hochul described it as a new era for Upstate food manufacturing. Senator Charles Schumer pointed to the lifeline it provides for dairy farmers. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente called it a generational win.
Chobani’s expansion goes beyond dairy. Fruits and vegetables are also essential ingredients in its yogurt varieties, opening new opportunities for growers across New York. Strawberries, blueberries, peaches, and other crops will be part of the story, linking farms and food producers across the state into one supply chain anchored in Rome.
For local farmers, the story is both economic and personal. For decades, many have begun their days before sunrise, milking cows and tending herds with no guarantee of what the market would bring. Now they are part of something bigger. Their milk will help fuel a world-class brand rooted right here in the Mohawk Valley. Their work, once threatened by uncertainty, is now tied to growth, innovation, and the future.
“In 1851, Jesse Williams built the first cheese factory in Rome, NY and he showed the world that New York’s dairy farmers could lead with innovation and cooperation. Nearly two centuries later, Chobani’s decision to expand in Rome carries that same spirit of rebirth forward. It proves that when we invest in our farms and our communities, we are not just making products. We are building a legacy that feeds families, sustains rural economies, and keeps New York at the heart of America’s food story.”
– Farmer Ben (Ben Simons) of Steuben, NY is a local farmer and state & regional agricultural advocate.
