State officials say a Japan-based firm will construct a new $73 million manufacturing facility in northeast Georgia, creating 200 new jobs. Gov. Nathan Deal said Kubota Corp. intends to build the plant in the Jackson County town of Jefferson.

Kubota is Japan's largest maker of tractors and farm equipment, and has subsidiaries and affiliates across the globe. An associated company, Kubota Industrial Equipment, has an existing facility in Jefferson, which manufactures tractor implements, including loaders and backhoes.

Deal said the new 500,000-square-foot facility will be located near the existing plant. Authorities say construction is set to begin in early 2012, with full production of tractors scheduled for January 2013.

Jefferson is about 60 northeast of Atlanta, between Athens and Gainesville. PD

—From AP newswire