LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Kraft
Foods Plant in Lowville, New York

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize the mile-
stones of those businesses within the State of New York which contribute
to the economic health and vitality of the communities they serve; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commem-
orate the 40th Anniversary of the Kraft Foods Plant in Lowville, New
York; and
WHEREAS, The Kraft Foods plant located on Utica Boulevard in Lowville,
New York, has been a source of community pride since production started
on March 22, 1971; and
WHEREAS, For four decades, it has been producing one of the most popu-
lar products known worldwide, Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese; the
Lowville facility produces more Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese than any
other place, in the world; and
WHEREAS, With a horse named Paddy, one wagon, and sixty-five dollars
of capital, James Lewis Kraft started his cheese business in Chicago; by
1923, his business grew, becoming the number one cheese business in the
world; and
WHEREAS, In 1928, Kraft purchased the Phenix Cheese Corporation, its
closest rival in the cheese industry; at that time, the Phenix company
was known for its production of Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese, which
was first produced in Edmeston, New York in 1880; even before negoti-
ations were completed for the Phenix, plans were in progress for a
gigantic merger of cheese interest extending from the Mohawk Valley to
the Canadian border in northern New York; and
WHEREAS, These cheese interests included the purchase of cheese
plants, creameries, milk receiving stations and cold storage facilities;
on April 1, 1928, Kraft purchased the Lowville Cold Storage, known to be
the largest cold storage facility for cheese in the world; and
WHEREAS, By the 1960s, the cheese industry was changing, giving way to
new technologies; soon after, Kraft Foods began upgrading across the
United States building state-of-the-art production facilities employing
this new technology; and
WHEREAS, Lowville was selected as the site of one of these ultra-mo-
dern cheese facilities due to its location as one of the largest milk
sheds in the northeastern United States as well as its proximity to
local long term dairy farms, and its laborers who were well-known for
their unparalleled work ethic; and
WHEREAS, In July of 1969, Kraft Foods began construction on the
163,000 square foot Lowville plant which sat on 22.6 acres of land and
consisted of three 55-foot silos with a capacity of 40,000 gallons; and
WHEREAS, On March 22, 1971, the state-of-the-art facility began its
initial cheese production; since the first day of operation, it has
continuously upgraded its facility, thereby nearly doubling in size
since its inception 40 years ago; and
WHEREAS, It is with great pleasure that this Legislative Body acknowl-
edges this exceptional business and its contributions to the local and
State economies, fully confident that it will continue to enjoy the
sparkling successes it has experienced thus far; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the Kraft Foods Plant in Lowville,
New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Kraft Foods, Lowville, New York.