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DC99005_Door County 4/21/06 9:18 AM Page 1 A closer look Agriculture powers Kewaunee's economy While Kewaunee County is reeling from the loss of its largest employer, the area's largest industry – agriculture – remains strong. The county is home to several large dairies and after Dominion Resources Inc. closes the Kewaunee Power Station, at least three will be among the county's top 10 employers. "Agriculture – especially dairy – is a huge economic driver in the country," says Jennifer Brown, executive director of the Kewaunee County Economic Development Corporation. Agriculture generates $487 million in economic activity annually in the county with about 25 percent of the county's workforce tied to agriculture, she adds. Pagel's Ponderosa Dairy in Kewaunee employs more than 100 and is one of four dairies in the county to have a biodigester, which takes cow waste and converts it to energy. "Our dairies are progressive and adding to our economy and doing it in an environmentally-friendly way," she says. The county's strong dairy connection, along with an increased demand in certain cheeses, led Agropur to announce last November it plans to invest $100 million to update and expand its facilities in Luxemburg. The plant produces mozzarella and provolone cheeses and will add between five and 10 employees once the expansion and addition is complete, says Agropur President Doug Simon. The project includes building a 120,000-square-foot facility along with updating equipment. "There will be some parts of the site that can't be used for more than 60 years, but the training center is definitely an asset. We need to look at that and find a way to market it." THE PERFECT CLIMATE FOR BUSINESS 0 The Door County Peninsula may be best known for its natural beauty and hospitality, but it's also an appealing place to make a living. With a business development center, financial incentives, angel investors and a dedicated workforce, it's the perfect place to start or expand a business. And at the end of every workday, you can enjoy outstanding arts, culture and recreation, right outside your back door. The Door County Peninsula. It's an environment like no other. 800.450.3113 www.doorcountybusiness.com –Jennifer Brown, executive direc tor of the Kewaunee Count y Economic D evelopment Corp. Then there's the site itself, which includes a state-of-the-art training center that sits outside of the plant's restricted area. "There will be some parts of the site that can't be used for more than 60 years, but the training center is definitely an asset. We need to look at that and find a way to market it," Brown says. Brown says officials from Dominion as well as the New North, Inc. are involved in the planning process for what to do once the nuclear plant goes offline. "There's a lot of scenarios and action planning we need to do. There's no doubt this is a crisis for our community," she says. "We don't want to limit ourselves. We want to have a plan in place that can help us move forward." w w w. i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m The KCEDC hopes to develop a plan by this fall and is looking to what the area around the Zion, Ill., nuclear plant did after that plant closed down, Brown says. "We need to keep moving forward," she says. M a y 2 013 • Insight | 37