Walker signs cheese plant expansion bill, first to pass this year

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker has signed into law the first bill to pass the Legislature this session, a measure designed to help Wisconsin’s cheese industry.

Walker on Thursday signed the bill making it possible for tax incentives to be extended to help finance construction of a $30 million cheese packaging and distribution plant in the village of Oostburg near Sheboygan.

Plymouth-based Masters Gallery Foods is looking to construct the new facility. The new law will allow Oostburg to create a new tax incremental district to help subsidize construction of the 150,000-sqaure-foot facility.

It is expected to create 120 jobs over three years.

Walker says the bill is good news both for the Oostburg community and the state.