STATEMENT OF GOVERNOR HALEY BARBOUR

“It is exciting news that Toyota has decided to begin manufacturing the Prius hybrid sedan in the U.S., and Mississippi is proud to have been chosen as the location of this important new venture. The Prius is the leading hybrid car in the world and the environmental car of the future; it is appropriate it will be built at Toyota’s model environmentally-sustainable plant in Blue Springs.

“While the decision to manufacture the Prius in Mississippi means a delay in opening the plant from spring to fall 2010, it’s worth the wait. Mississippi thinks long term and in the long term this is a grand slam home run.”