Dairy One Cooperative, Inc. held a groundbreaking ceremony for their new Northeast Dairy and Food Testing Center in collaboration with Chestnut Labs, a company based in Missouri.

"We are excited to be opening a facility in the Northeast to serve the needs of our growing business. The connection with Dairy One and the proximity to Cornell makes Ithaca an ideal location for us," said Kristen Dixon, Vice President and General Manager of Chestnut Labs.

"Our new facility will enable us to upgrade our facilities for our growing business. The partnership with Chestnut Labs brings together a unique set of resources for the region," said Jamie Zimmerman, CEO and General Manager of Dairy One.

Planned for approximately 17,000 square feet, the new facility at 720 Warren Road will include a new Microbiology testing branch and their current milk lab operations. This project will be the first in the region to provide commercial testing resources for dairy and food products from farm to store shelves.

"Tompkins County Area Development (TCAD) focuses on companies that create good jobs, are committed to our community and here for sound strategic reasons. Dairy One, Chestnut Labs and the new Northeast Dairy and Food Testing Center are a perfect example of how we use scarce community resources to generate the highest return on investment," said Michael Stamm, President of TCAD.

Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency (TCIDA) approved incentives to assist the project; Dairy One and Chestnut Labs are making an approximate $3.5 million investment in the facility and new equipment. For this project, Chestnut Labs will begin with employing eight employees and Dairy One will be adding three new jobs to start. Additional jobs may be added in the future as business grows.

"The project is a great opportunity for the TCIDA to be involved in the prevailing agriculture industry. The project will also benefit from the proximity to Cornell's world-class research and provide critical support to the dairy industry throughout New York State and beyond," said TCIDA Chair Jim Dennis.

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