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| Blue Mountain Station in Dayton is intended to introduce tourists to local natural and organic food producers. |
Southeastern Washington’s reputation as a destination for
wine lovers is spurring one local organization to try to expand the region’s
appeal to travelers as an emerging center for processing organic food products.
In Columbia County, the Port of Columbia recently purchased
28 acres in tiny Dayton (pop. 2,800) to develop Blue Mountain Station, the
world’s first eco-friendly artisan natural and organic culinary center. The
goal is to help develop culinary tourism based on the area’s agricultural
heritage, says Jennie Dickinson, the port’s manager. “It’s a new twist on an
old industry.”
The center will house small-scale food processors that would
work with the region’s agricultural producers. Dickinson says the center could
house a variety of specialty food manufacturers from a gourmet cheese maker, to
a miller who uses local wheat for tortillas and pasta, to a fruit processor
producing organic apple juice and dried fruit from area produce. The center
also could house a microbrewery or a distillery.
Independent artisan food producers based at the proposed
Blue Mountain Station would be close to their source of raw materials as well
as conveniently located for wine country visitors. According to a site design
prepared by the port, Blue Mountain Station will have an on-site business
center to provide retail, packaging and marketing services, as well as a
commercial kitchen for product development. In addition, the culinary park
would have incubator space for startup businesses. The project will help
create an estimated 300 jobs once the park is built.
Port representatives have been visiting trade shows to
recruit potential tenants. They also talked with local growers about possible
business opportunities, says Dennis Miller, a consultant helping the port to
market Blue Mountain. When the project is shovel-ready, he notes, there’ll
definitely be more interest in starting a food processing business in the area,
known for its low cost of living, outdoor recreational opportunities and stable
workforce.
And there is real growth potential in the
industry. “Organic is becoming mainstream,” Miller adds.