Work begins on agricultural business park in Tenino

Work has started on the Southwest Washington agricultural business park in Tenino, a partnership between the city and Thurston Economic Development Council.

The city of Tenino owns the 13-acre site and leases it to the EDC for $10 per year. The park is set to become a hub for food manufacturing, processing, storage, and packaging, according to a news release.

“One of the clearest COVID-19 lessons we are learning is how such a crisis can challenge our food supply chain,” said Aslan Meade, the EDC’s director of strategic alliances and the park project manager, in a statement. “We need to be growing and processing more local food for distribution to the people in our own region.”

The park will house a business center and become an agri-tourism destination on the Thurston County Bountiful Byway. Future phases of the park will include research and educational components, the news release reads.

Funding has come from the following sources: A Washington state legislature capital budget appropriation of $600,000 for the water and sewer extension, plus an additional $1.5 million for the park’s first building. The Port of Olympia and USDA Rural Development also provided funding.

—Rolf Boone