Cows by a fence (photo: Happy Fence Friday, Larry Brown)
Aurora Organic Dairy has rolled its first milk products out of the new Columbia facility in mid-Missouri this week. The location broke ground about 18 months ago.
“Everybody’s worked,” said Justin Stuart, the first person hired for the site north of Columbia. “Day and night to get us to this point.”
Stuart says the company will ship organic milk all over the country, especially to the eastern half of the U.S.
Boone County approved a 75 percent property tax break for the company if it meets hiring goals. Stuart says Aurora is on pace to have more than 100 workers on board in 2019. More than 60 people will be working for him by the end of the year.
“As we ramp up over the next six months to get to our full running capacity, we will continue to bring on employees and be a 24/7 milk operation.”
The city of Columbia agreed to sell the land for the site at a deep discount to Aurora.
By Brad Tregnago of Missourinet affiliate KSSZ in Columbia