Sanderson Farms was founded in 1947 and is headquartered in Mississippi. Today it boasts over 17,000 employees and is the third-largest poultry producer in the nation.
In 2017, Sanderson Farms finalized a tax abatement agreement for two sites in Smith County. The agreement was for a $200 million project to bring 1,700 jobs to East Texas. The TEDC estimates a $1.4 billion impact over ten years due to this project.