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Proposed Agribusiness Park Receives $4 Million Federal Grant
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 09/09/2009

The proposed agribusiness park and farm innovation center being planned in northern Clark County took a major step forward this week. On Tuesday, the Federal Economic Development Administration announced it will provide a $4 million grant to the city of Owen to help put the project together.

The park is made up of 71 acres of vacant farmland that was recently acquired by the city through a land-swap agreement with the county. The 52,000 square-foot Ag Innovation Center would be used for research, education and serve as a place for other types of agricultural innovation. Another 87 acres would be available for purchase in the future should Wisconsin Farm Technology Days decide to utilize the facility as their permanent venue.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke says the grant will help create 330 jobs and generate $18 million in private investment.

"This grant will help build an energy-efficient innovation center that will enhance central Wisconsin's competitiveness in agribusiness and the bio-economy, two emerging 21st century industries with enormous capacity to create higher-skill, higher-wage jobs," Locke said in a news release.

EDA is an agency within the U.S. Commerce Department and supports the economic development needs of distressed communities throughout the United States. Its mission is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness and preparing American regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy.

In June, the Central Wisconsin Agribusiness Innovation Center board held a kick-off meeting near Owen to discuss plans for the project and begin looking for possible donors for the facility. At that time, the group projected that the cost of building the Center will likely be around $7.5 million--of which the first $2.5 million is already allocated through a federal economic authority grant.

The CWAIC board hopes to break ground on the center in early 2010.


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