South Louisiana Rail Facility (SLRF), an agricultural export and processing company, announced it will invest $2.1 million to further expand its Jefferson Davis Parish operations. The project includes new bagging and warehouse equipment designed to increase efficiency and open new marketing opportunities for Louisiana rice producers.
The company is expected to create 10 direct new jobs while retaining 12 current positions. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in additional 51 indirect new jobs, for a total of 61 potential new jobs.
“South Louisiana Rail Facility’s expansion is a powerful example of how strategic investment in infrastructure fuels long-term growth,” LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois said.
SLRF’s expansion at the Lacassine Agri-Industrial Park will add upgraded equipment to package milled rice in 50-pound and 50-kilogram bags, allowing the company to meet rising product demand and serve additional international customers.
Work on the facility expansion is expected to begin in December 2025, with project completion and operations anticipated by May 2026.
This project builds on South Louisiana Rail Facility’s 2020 project that established a rice mill in Jefferson Davis Parish, a $1.6 million investment that strengthened the region’s processing capacity and laid the groundwork for continued growth. The latest upgrades build on that foundation to enhance processing efficiency and expand export capacity, advancing Louisiana’s rice industry statewide.
The state of Louisiana offered South Louisiana Rail Facility a competitive incentives package that includes up to $500,000 from the Economic Development Award Program (EDAP) for eligible project costs such as new equipment.
