The groundbreaking ceremony for Premier Meats, Inc., a $1.8 million meat retail store and processor, will be held Monday, between Viroqua and Westby.

Premier Meats is a joint partnership between Dan and Sue Jacobson and Terry Hoyum. It is to be located at the intersection of Hwys. 14/61/27, Three Chimney Road and Barstad Road between Westby and Viroqua. The groundbreaking is slated to begin at 11 a.m.

The Vernon County Board, Tuesday, approved a $120,000 loan from the county’s revolving loan fund for Premier Meats. The measure passed by unanimous vote.

The only question about the operation came from Supervisor Karen Dahl who asked about the businesses’ plan for both using water and treating wastewater. Dahl said understanding the business’s plan was important due to the county’s karst geology.

Terry Hoyum told the county board that Premier Meats will have a 5,200-gallon holding tank that will collect high-protein water waste from the facility. That will be taken to the city of Viroqua to be treated at the wastewater treatment plant. Other than that, Hoyum said the business likely wouldn’t use much more water than a residential home. He said the business will rely on using high-pressure water rather than high volumes of water.

“We’re trying to be good stewards and green stewards,” Hoyum said.

Hoyum said the heat created by compressors that will power refrigeration units, will be recaptured and used in the water heating system and the building’s heating system.

The business 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. The business is projected to create between 12 and 20 new jobs, Sue Noble, the Executive Director of the Vernon Economic Development Association, said.

Noble added that the business plan for Premier Meats was elaborate and designed with assistance of the University of Wisconsin’s Small Business Development Program. It was also approved by the federal Small Business Administration program.

Hoyum said that the business will have periods set aside for processing both organic and conventionally-raised livestock.

Local contractors on the building project include: Brickl Brothers with Jim Hamilton as engineer, Seidel Excavating, Fortney Soil Testing, Y-TRI Plumbing & Heating, Sheldon’s Asphalt Paving, Coulee Refriger-ation, Holler Plumbing and Well Drilling, La Crosse Sign, Vernon Electric and Focus on Energy.

The business is planning to open this fall.