First Friday speaker lauds community’s commitment
MANHATTAN, Kan. — The May 5 announcement of California-based Hilmar Cheese Company building a processing plant in Dodge City is an exciting win for the local community, according to the manager of a Kansas Department of Commerce program that certifies property in the state for economic development.
Jonathan Clayton also said Hilmar’s move is indicative of work now being done by the Department of Commerce’s Certified Sites Program, which establishes a set of requirements to make sure land is ready for investment.
“(The relocation of Hilmar Cheese) was a community and group investment that is going to pay dividends for decades to come,” Clayton said. He spoke during K-State Research and Extension’s monthly online series, First Friday e-Calls, which helps to nurture small businesses and inspire entrepreneurship in Kansas.
Clayton said the Certified Sites Program is in place to help ensure that locations being considered are ready for economic development – or “shovel ready” – by the time a business or entrepreneur is ready to move in. Certification includes meeting a set of requirements to demonstrate that the property is ready for investment.
“Certifying a site reduces the risk involved for investors and economic development projects,” Clayton said. “It helps the investor make a wise decision and get a perfect fit for their business or investment.”
The Kansas Department of Commerce certifies sites across the state based on factors such as available workforce, access to utilities, community partners, environmental stewardship and more, Clayton said. A listing of sites currently certified in Kansas is available online.
Clayton said the Hilmar Cheese Company project had support from city, county and state leaders, and the Dodge City region had the potential to provide the needed workforce.
Hilmar Cheese is investing $450 million in its new processing facility, which is expected to break ground in the next few months. The new facility will create an estimated 247 jobs in Dodge City, and an additional $550 million in capital investment and 750 jobs within a 50-mile radius of Dodge City.
In a release from the company, CEO and president David Ahlem called Dodge City an “ideal choice” given its central location, critical existing infrastructure, proximity to the local dairy industry and business-friendly climate.
“(Attracting this company to Kansas) would not have been possible if not for the commitment of the entire community,” Clayton said. “We had the support of educational leadership, utility leaders – who offered affordable and competitive rates – and local and county government partners with state leadership and economic development agencies.”
Ultimately, the project worked because “the workforce is the right fit, the utilities are the right fit and the community can support the business coming in,” Clayton said.
More information is available online about the Kansas Department of Commerce’s Certified Sites program, including properties available in the state.
Clayton’s full talk and other First Friday presentations are available online from K-State Research and Extension.
FOR PRINT PUBLICATION: Links used in this story
Kansas Department of Commerce Certified Sites Program, https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/business-incentives-and-services/certified-sites-program
First Friday e-calls, www.ksre.k-state.edu/community/business/entrepreneurship
Certified Sites in Kansas, https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/business-incentives-and-services/certified-sites-program/sites
K State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county extension offices, experiment fields, area extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K State campus in Manhattan. For more information, visit www.ksre.ksu.edu. K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Story by:
Pat Melgares
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