By Brad Tregnago of KSSZ
Columbia City Council paves way for future mid-Missouri dairy processing plant
A Colorado-based dairy processing company plans to build a new facility in Columbia that’s expected to include more than 100 new jobs, paying more than $42,000 a year. City Councilwoman Laura Nauser says a deal has been approved to sell land to Aurora Organic Dairy for a new milk and butter processing and distribution plant.
“I work with a lot of people in our community who don’t have maybe a high school education or certainly don’t have a college education. This is good living wage jobs for our area,” says Nauser.
City Manager Mike Matthes says the company’s plan will be an economic development boost.
“What are we buying as a community and what are we getting? How much value is coming with that purchase? This is, through that lens, a great business deal for the community,” says Matthes.
The land deal is for less than what the city paid for the site, but supporters says the move is still good news.
Aurora Organic Dairy is based in Boulder, Colorado.
