After its long-standing Mayfield facility was destroyed in the December 2021 tornado, Hutson Inc. has pledged to build a larger facility in the spot where its forebear once stood.

The Fulton Road facility — serving as a “flagship” for the John Deere dealer in western Kentucky — endured major damage that winter, though no employees were harmed.

Josh Waggener, president and CEO of Hutson, said the company is sticking by Mayfield because it feels like home after decades of doing business there.

“It never even occurred to us that we could move anywhere else but here,” Waggener said. “Everywhere we go, we can tell the story of what we started right here in Mayfield, Kentucky.”

Huston hosted a groundbreaking event on the afternoon of Thursday, Sept. 22 to indicate its dedication to the project, attended by company representatives and local officials alike.

One such attendee was Jason Lemle, president of Graves County Economic Development Inc., who said the new facility will be able to service a greater number of customers and generate even more business for the surrounding community.

“Hutson’s been here for 30-plus years, and their consistent commitment has always been an asset,” Lemle said.

Another was Abbie Lyell, a coordinator of the Graves County chapter of the Future Farmers of America youth organization, who said it’s important for her students to see major agricultural endeavors such as this in their home county.

“As the tornado tore through our region, I had so many students texting me and calling me and emailing me asking what our FFA chapter was going to do,” Lyell said. “We were out every day — teachers and students — working together to clean up and contribute any way we could.”

Construction on the 50,000-square-foot facility set to house more than 50 employees is planned to begin this fall and conclude sometime in 2023.