CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — Perdue Agribusiness will spend $59 million to expand its operations in Chesapeake.

The news, first announced by Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office, came ahead of Mayor Rick West’s State of the City address Thursday. West introduced two Perdue company officials who were among the crowd of about 650 at the Chesapeake Conference Center.

West talked about a recent plant tour at Perdue’s facility on the Elizabeth River near the Jordan Bridge. “I was expecting chickens,” West joked, referring to Perdue’s “other” line of business.

The company will modernize facilities and increase production of high protein soybean meal, soybean oil and hulls, Youngkin’s office says.

While the expansion won’t create new jobs, it will make the plant more efficient at processing soybeans for the food industry and biodiesel, according to city economic development director Steven Wright.

The expansion also comes with nearly $1 million in public grant money.

West told the luncheon gathering that seeing the operation up close, he realized “the amazing things that (Perdue) can do with the soybean and how important that is.”

“Perdue AgriBusiness is a valued employer in Chesapeake and a major contributor to Virginia farmers’ livelihoods, and we look forward to its continued growth trajectory with the modernization and expansion of this facility,” Youngkin said.

Meanwhile, City Manager Chris Price says he wants to promote the city as a workplace of the future but says Chesapeake still has challenges.

“We have high turnover in public safety, 50% vacancy in our 911 Dispatch Center at some points throughout the year. Providing core services has really been a challenge. We want a workforce that reflects the increasing cultural diversity of the city.”

And the Summit Pointe area along Volvo Parkway remains a catalyst for retail, residential, and light commercial development.

“[We want to] not just activate that front portion along Volvo Parkway, but take the entire property for future economic development, so you’re gonna see a huge amount of development plans in the future,” Price said about an area where restaurants, office space and apartment complexes have shot up in just the past two years.

Price also talked about curbside recycling. He said the city is getting out of that business because it was too costly and inefficient and wasn’t functioning the way it was designed.

“Too much goes into the blue bins that’s not recyclable. It’s trash, so at the end of the day, almost 50% of what goes into the blue bins is sent to the landfill anyway, or burned,” Price said, but added that he’s confident that curbside recycling could resume and he’s already in talks with private companies to make it happen.

West also thanked Chesapeake’s delegation in the General Assembly with the announcement of $9 million in state matching funds for a long-awaited public swimming pool complex at the Clarence Cuffee Community Center in South Norfolk.

Chesapeake Regional Medical Center CEO Reese Jackson said expansion plans are moving along, including an expanded maternity center due for completion later this year, as well as plans with the Veterans Administration for work on a major new clinic in the city near Battlefield Boulevard. West said 20% of the city’s population are either active duty or retired military.