Wisconsin Ag Connection - Rural Agri-Business Campus Proposed in Clark County

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Rural Agri-Business Campus Proposed in Clark County
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 03/12/2008

The Clark County Board may take the first step toward the development of an "agribusiness campus" in northern part of the county later this week. The state currently owns about 40 acres of land south of State Highway 29 near Owen. The county owns an additional 30 acres adjacent to the Clark County Health Care Center.

According to WCCN Radio, a group of interested parties, spearheaded by the Clark County Economic Development Corporation, has been exploring the possibility of purchasing the land to develop an agribusiness park. The project could also result in an innovation center, and possibly a permanent home for Wisconsin Farm Technology Days.

"We've been losing manufacturing jobs and we'll continue to lose manufacturing jobs," warns Gary Weirauch, an officer with the Citizens State Bank of Loyal. "They're always going to look for cheaper labor. If we bring agriculture-related, and agriculture technology-related jobs, I think we have some staying power."

The Clark County Economic Development Committee is meeting Wednesday. They might approve a land-swap resolution that would go before the board on Friday. It would see the City of Owen purchase the county-owned land for the appraised value plus an additional amount that would cover the purchase of the state-owned land. The county would than purchase that land from the state.

Weirauch says the vision is to develop a business park where ag-related ideas can grow and prosper, and they've already heard from interested businesses.

Meanwhile, Farm Technology Days has been having trouble finding counties willing to take on the burden of hosting the farm show and have publicly mulled finding a permanent home for the event. But officials with FTD say their immediate plans are to continue moving the annual farm show around the state until their board decides otherwise.

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