Belle Glade Gets State Help

BELLE GLADE, FL. -- (Aug. 11, 2005) -- Governor Jeb Bush today awarded a
Rural Infrastructure Fund Grant for $490,000 to the City of Belle Glade to
assist in the development of the Belle Glade Business Park. The grant
provides funding for the construction of infrastructure improvements to
extend water, wastewater and road improvements to the addition of the
commerce park, Phase II. The addition is expected to spur business
development in the area, including supporting the location of Harmack
Company, Roth Farms, Inc., Anytime Farms and Cypress Coolers, Inc. The
four businesses will create an estimated 117 new jobs.

The City of Belle Glade developed a 100-acre industrial park (Phase I) with
financial support from Palm Beach County, a federal grant, a state
appropriation, and its own resources. With Phase I at capacity, the city
is actively pursuing the development of Phase II, an additional 49.95
acres.

The City of Belle Glade which applied for the Rural Infrastructure Fund
grant on behalf of the project, is developing plans for additional
recruitment initiatives. Coupled with federal funding, the $490,000 grant
will fund a portion of the $2,186,731 infrastructure project, which will
facilitate $12.6 million in new private sector capital investment.

"The Rural Infrastructure Fund grant will play an integral role in our
effort to develop Phase II of Belle Glade's Business Park," stated Steve B.
Wilson, Mayor of Belle Glade. "The new, non-seasonal jobs will utilize
the skills of the existing workforce and offer year round employment.
Grants such as this have a dramatic effect on our ability to develop our
business community and will greatly enhance its attractiveness to other
companies."