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US (NC): Mills River protects its agricultural roots

In the early 1970s, a Dutch immigrant was searching for a place to start a new greenhouse venture. Today a cluster of agribusiness companies have joined that greenhouse venture — Van Wingerden International — in a triangle created by School House, Banner Farm and Haywood Roads, that encompasses an area quickly becoming a hub for agribusiness.

The Mills River valley is one of the most fertile valleys in the state, with soil that provides for a great growing environment, particularly for vegetable crops, said Mark Williams, executive director of Agribusiness Henderson County.

The area was already an established agricultural community when Mills River incorporated in 2003, and ever since, the town has made it known that it wanted to promote and preserve that agricultural atmosphere.

“Absolutely, that's what the town was founded on, agriculture, and I don't see that as anything that anyone would want to change anytime soon,” said Town Manager Jeff Wells about the continued support of agribusiness in Mills River.

Tri-Hishtil, a partnership of Israel-based Hishtil and U.S.-based TriEst, announced its plans in August 2014 to build its international plant-grafting headquarters along Highway 191 (Haywood Road), on a 42-acre lot purchased from Van Wingerden for $2 million.

Fertile soil, access to water, central location along the Eastern seaboard for distribution, close proximities to I-26 and Asheville Regional Airport as well as established infrastructure like good roads all make the area a prime spot for new agribusiness.

New infrastructure is currently being constructed, to bring needed water and sewer to Tri-Hishtil and Bold Rock, which will provide the capacity for future growth as well.

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