BERGEN - Empire State Development (ESD) celebrated the official groundbreaking for Oxbo’s new farming equipment manufacturing facility in the Town of Bergen, Genesee County.

Oxbo will build a new 200,000 square-foot facility in Apple Tree Acres Corporate Park which will also serve as the company’s U.S. headquarters. The company has committed to creating up to 78 new jobs at the site; 141 jobs will be retained.

Empire State Development is providing up to $2.5 million through the performance-based Excelsior Jobs Tax Credit Program in exchange for the job creation commitments.

Genesee County, the Village of Bergen and Greater Rochester Enterprise are also assisting with the venture.

The total project cost has been placed at $60.5 million. Oxbo expects to be operational at the new site in the fall of 2025.

Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight said, “We are excited to welcome Oxbo’s U.S. headquarters to Genesee County, and grateful that this tech and farm-focused innovator has chosen to expand and grow jobs here in New York State. ESD is committed to making key investments that not only strengthen our advanced manufacturing and agribusiness industries but are essential in building a stronger, more resilient future for all New Yorkers.”

Founded more than 60 years ago and headquartered in the Netherlands, Oxbo designs and manufactures high-tech farming equipment for the global agribusiness industry offering a range of products for various markets, including harvesting equipment, single-axle trailers, rakes, manure spreaders, and vegetable harvesters. In addition to the Town of Bergen location, the company maintains additional operations in the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, and Brazil. They also have global locations for sales, direct service, and parts support.

Oxbo President, Joe Perzia said “As a global leader in the design and manufacturing of specialty crops harvesting and controlled applications equipment, we are thrilled to provide our world-class employees a world-class facility. This facility has been specifically designed to optimize our efficiencies in all areas of production and to further enhance quality for our customers”.

Additionally, ESD recently announced that Apple Tree Acres Corporate Park had been awarded a $1.26 million Focused Attraction of Shovel-Ready Tracts New York (FAST NY) grant which will support needed electrical infrastructure upgrades, including improvements to the electrical substation and distribution lines, increasing the capacity to serve anticipated load growth. These upgrades will allow Apple Tree Acres to further develop an additional 47 shovel ready acres intended for future manufacturing.

The FAST NY initiative, first announced by the governor in February 2022, is designed to prepare and develop sites across the state to further New York’s shovel-readiness and increase its attractiveness to large employers and high-tech manufacturing companies. The program helps to diversify New York State’s economy while generating new investments for businesses, communities and job creation. To date, FAST NY has awarded $200 million to 25 sites, with locations in every region across Upstate New York

Manufacturing is a major driver of New York’s economy. New York is home to nearly 14,000 manufacturing operations and roughly 420,900 New Yorkers work in this sector.  Manufacturing contributed more than $95 billion to New York’s gross domestic product and is responsible for approximately 85 billion in exports per year. New York is also home to a vibrant agribusiness sector, ranking first in the nation for yogurt production and among the top states in the country for its number of cideries, breweries, distilleries, and wineries. With 13,379 new manufacturing jobs since 2021, New York also leads the nation in reshoring manufacturing jobs back from facilities overseas.

The Governor is also committed to supporting and growing the world-renowned agribusiness industry in New York State. The FY 2025 includes support in key areas to continue to strengthen the agricultural community, provide a boost to New York’s farmers, and create a stronger, more resilient food supply chain. This includes first time investments of $55 million to bolster New York’s dairy industry, over $60 million in local assistance to support farmers and producers, $50 million for the continuation of the successful Nourish NY program, a five-year extension of the sale of to-go alcoholic beverages at restaurants and bars, $19.5 million to expand the New York State Animal Heath Diagnostic Center at Cornell University, and $15 million to grow New York's bioeconomy and further other key agricultural initiatives. Under Governor Hochul, investments in New York State’s agricultural priorities and its farmers have gone up by 60 percent since 2022.

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “We are proud to welcome Oxbo to New York State, a major agricultural state that boasts some of the world’s best farmers and agribusinesses producing and processing food for communities here in the state and across the globe; the nation’s best land grant system conducting cutting-edge research in agriculture; access to land, water and proximity to the world’s largest marketplace, and so much more.  Oxbo will provide important, specialized job opportunities in the agribusiness and manufacturing sectors in New York, helping these vital industries continue to grow while providing a boost to the local economy.”

State Senator Goerge Borello said, "For five decades, Oxbo has been one of Genesee County’s most important industrial manufacturers and a member of the region's thriving agribusiness community. With demand for its industry-leading harvesting and farming equipment rising worldwide, this new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility represents an exciting new phase for the company and an unwavering commitment to building its future here, with the valued employees and community who have been integral to its success. My thanks go out to Governor Hochul and Empire State Development, the Oxbow leadership team and all the economic development partners at the county, village and regional level whose vision propelled this effort forward,”

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley said, "Oxbo is a shining example of the entrepreneurial spirit being alive and well in Western New York, and I couldn't be more thrilled with the work they'll be doing following this groundbreaking. We've got more jobs on the horizon, more focus on the importance of the agriculture industry in this state and across the world, and more faith in our farmers with these continued investments in farming technology. It's incredibly moving to be able to rally around such a pioneering success like Oxbo, and I'm grateful to the governor for her support, as well as the community for continuing to invest in itself and its people with opportunities like these."

Genesee County Legislature Chairperson Shelly Stein said, “Genesee County commends Oxbo for their continued growth and expansion. Oxbo is a homegrown Genesee County success story that benefits our agricultural community through innovative and high-tech equipment manufacturing, and Genesee County has the local resources to support and grow our agribusiness industries."

Village of Bergen Mayor Joseph Chimino said, “The Village of Bergen thanks Empire State Development for their support of Apple Tree Acres. Increases in the power capacity to existing tenants, recent commitments like Oxbo, and future development grows our base of employers.”

Town of Bergen Supervisor Ernie Haywood said, “The Town of Bergen is excited to welcome Oxbo’s expansion. Investments by Liberty Pumps, Craft Cannery, Hank Parker’s, Insurance Auto Auctions, Leonard Bus Sales and AdTech Graphic Service have filled Apple Tree Acres with a robust group of employers and great jobs for our families.”

Genesee County Economic Development Center President & CEO Mark Masse said, “The Genesee County Economic Development Center is pleased to support Oxbo’s growth in Genesee County at Apple Tree Acres. The GCEDC developed Apple Tree Acres to attract new and expanding businesses, and projects like Oxbo’s generate a significant benefit to Bergen and Genesee County through investment, jobs, and new revenues generated for local services and education.”

Matt Hurlbutt, president and CEO, Greater Rochester Enterprise said, “Oxbo, a leader in specialty harvesting and controlled application technology, is expanding in the Greater Rochester, NY region, a hub for food and beverage manufacturing and agriculture. Greater Rochester Enterprise will continue to support Oxbo senior leaders by connecting them with local resources and partners to support the company’s growth.

For more information about Oxbo visit, https://oxbo.com/about-us/.