California’s richest farming family is planning to expand an industrial warehouse complex to transform a small town into an international trade center.
Stewart and Lynda Resnick, the billionaires behind The Wonderful Company, already own a sprawling distribution center in Shafter, northwest of Bakersfield.
Now they are eager to expand the center to create an international hub that positions the county at the forefront of the global shift toward online shopping, according to a report in Los Angeles Times.
The move would convert 1,800 acres of the company’s almond groves in Kern County into additional warehouse space.
The proposal has been criticized over environmental concerns, with critics saying it will increase truck traffic and worsen air quality.
Wonderful Company’s billionaire owners, Stewart and Lynda Resnick, own a distribution center in Shafter, northwest of Bakersfield.
The development would transform Shafter from a small town, with a population of just 20,162, to a booming commercial hub.
As part of the redevelopment, the company is proposing to build a new road that would divert trucks away from downtown Shafter.
They also want to build an inland rail terminal – at a cost of at least $120 million – to funnel products from the port by rail, reducing dependence on State Route 99.
Wonderful already builds and rents warehouses to large online shopping companies for storing merchandise and processing orders.
They say the expansion project and accompanying infrastructure plans are unlike a bevy of giant distribution centers that have mushroomed in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
While many residents welcome the plans and new jobs, others are concerned about the environmental impacts.
Gustavo Aguirre, deputy director of the Delano-based Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment, told the LA Times: ‘I understand that the company says it will create jobs; This is true to a certain extent.
‘But it is also true that it will bring impacts to health and the environment that will impact the neighbors who live near the industrial park.’
They want to expand the center to create an international hub that positions the county at the forefront of the global shift toward online shopping.
The move would convert 1,800 acres of the company’s almond trees into additional storage space.
The industrial park has generated about 10,000 jobs, including warehouse employees, truck drivers and shipping logistics services, according to Wonderful Co.
According to them, with the planned expansion the complex could generate 50,000 jobs.
But some worry that more automation means the expansion won’t create as many jobs as promised.
As technology develops and more companies use robotics to manufacture, process and deliver goods, some industrial jobs have become redundant.
Ellen Reese of UC Riverside told the LA Times: ‘Warehouses create and destroy jobs at the same time.’
Wonderful warehouses to build and rent to large online shopping companies for storing goods and processing orders.
They want to build an inland rail terminal, at a cost of at least $120 million, to funnel products from the port by rail, reducing dependence on State Route 99.
He added: “A lot of research actually suggests that more automated warehouses have higher injury rates than less automated warehouses.”
The Resnicks are known for their philanthropy, donating to climate research, scholarships and area wellness centers.
Through The Wonderful Company, they own POM Wonderful, Fiji Water, Wonderful Pistachios y Almendras, Wonderful Halos, Wonderful Seedless Lemons, JUSTIN Wines, Landmark Wines, JNSQ Wines and floral wire services company Teleflora.
Aguirre is helping negotiate with the company a broader community benefits agreement to ensure that people who live near Shafter get more than jobs from the expansion.
He said: ‘Residents recognize (this project) could create jobs, but it comes at a price.
‘That’s why they say, “What are you going to do for our community?”‘
DailyMail.com has contacted The Wonderful Co. for comment.