A new meat retail and processing business will be up and running in Vernon County by the end of this summer, according to an announcement at the annual Vernon Economic Development Association meeting held on May 6 at Borgen’s in Westby.

Premier Meats, Inc., is a $1.8 million dollar project that will create 12 to 15 new jobs. The new 11,000-plus square foot facility will be located at the intersection of Highway 14, Three Chimney Road and Barstad Road between Viroqua and Westby. It will include 8,000 square feet of space for processing and another 3,950 square feet in retail space. Meat, cheese, wine and other products will be sold in the retail area.

Dan and Sue Jacobson and Terry Hoyum are partners in the business. Hoyum said, “We’ve had a lot of interest and positive feedback to start this business. Vernon Economic Development and the UW-L Small Business Development Center were very instrumental in getting us through the planning process. We appreciate all of their help! Also, working with Focus on Energy through Vernon Electric, we are able to make the new business green by turning our refrigeration heat into hot water for heating and wash down. That saves natural gas and fuel costs. We’re going to be as green as we can be.” Ground breaking should take place in the next 30 to 40 days, with a target for opening set for August or September.

Also at the VEDA meeting, which was held Wednesday, two area initiatives received recognition through the VEDA Star Awards. Coulee CarShare Cooperative is based in Viroqua and will serve the Coulee region by providing a variety of vehicles for short-term rental by members. A reservation schedule will be available online soon. In accepting the award on behalf of the project, Kimberly Errigo noted, “This car-share program can reduce the cost of driving, and reduce the impact of vehicles on the local environment.” Jerry McIntire added, “Members can avoid owning a second car and, in some cases, may be able to manage without a car at all.” For more information on this project you may send an email to: couleecarshare@gmail.com.

The second venture cited was the Food and Farm Initiative coordinated by Valley Stewardship Network (VSN). The goal of this project is to link local farmers and food producers directly with customers. The Initiative hosted the Local Harvest Dinner last October and has been conducting a year long inventory of local food producers. According to Jessica Luhning, VSN Projects Coordinator, a study has been underway for eight months regarding the impact of local food systems on the economy. Ken Meter, a nationally known rural economist and president of the Crossroads Resource Center, served as a consultant on the project and will present some of the findings at a May 21st event from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Vernon Memorial Hospital’s Community Rooms. Luhning said, “Ken examines food systems and creates reports using hard economic data to demonstrate the importance of developing local, sustainable food systems. He paints a picture of local food systems that can inspire people to take action to improve their own economies. I hope the public will plan to attend his May 21 presentation.”

Thirty five participants attended VEDA’s annual meeting including representatives from the offices of Senator Herb Kohl, Senator Russ Feingold, Representative Ron Kind, State Senator Dan Kapanke, Wisconsin Department of Commerce, local businesses, financial institutions, city administrators, county board supervisors and community members. Sue Noble, executive director of VEDA, gave an overview of VEDA activities for the last year and a fiscal year summary was presented.