Jack Links Snacks expands in Minong

State Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar and Rep. Nick Milroy, D-South Range, applauded the announcement of $356,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding to the village of Minong to aid in the Jack Links Snacks Inc. expansion.

The two lawmakers praised officials at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation for their cooperation with village and Jack Link officials.

“The Community Development Block Grant program is a valuable tool that helps local governments invest in the infrastructure necessary to help make projects like this possible,” said Jauch. “I’m thrilled to see the state put these federal dollars to work in Minong and help move the Jack Links expansion forward. This is a great example of the essential role public dollars play in economic development.”

This funding will help the village of Minong finance the extension of Railroad Street, the installation of a water main, the refurbishment of a lift station and the upgrading of the village’s wastewater treatment plant. Jauch and Milroy also helped the village secure an easement from the Department of Natural Resources for the Railroad Street project to move forward.

“A community like Minong isn’t able to grow and provide expanded job opportunities without modern roads and sewer systems,” said Milroy. “The project will make a long term investment in Minong to upgrade their local infrastructure and expand employment opportunity in the community.”

Jack Link Snacks, Inc.’s expansion will include constructing a 7,000 square foot processing addition to its existing facility and 6,700 square foot warehouse facility and create 70 new jobs over the next three years.

The company has 872 full-time employees in Wisconsin, 295 of which are in Minong.

“It was refreshing to work with the various groups engaged in the process and ultimately achieving the goal of developing infrastructure, growing a local economy and creating jobs,” said Tim Arndt, director of Corporate Governmental Affairs at Jack Link’s Beef Jerky. “This is a perfect example of how the joint efforts of a municipality, government and private industry can work together for the good of the people of the state of Wisconsin.”

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