Andrea Festuccia’s the chairman of BeesFree. His company’s slogan is “Saving Hives, Saving Lives.” He is trying to raise bees differently so they fight off environmental factors that the USDA says killed off 40% of the bee population worldwide.
Festuccia wants to open a research and development and production facility that could employ conservatively 40 to 50 people – opening as soon as next month. He would expand his company’s European and South American operations and open a business in the Ames Research Park. He chose Iowa because he views it to be the agricultural capital of the United States.
Festuccia has met with economic development leaders here and would like incentives – not saying exactly what yet. However he does feel that incentives would help make his company bigger and better and faster.
Our Insiders panel, Democrat State Senator Steve Sodders from State Center and Republican John Stineman, the executive director of the Iowa Chamber Alliance, join Channel 13’s Dave Price and the panel discuss this issue of incentive for new companies thinking of setting up shop in Iowa – how much incentives do they deserve – when is it too much?
For part 2, click here
For part 3, click here
For part 4, click here
For part 5, click here
For Insiders Extra, click here
