CORTEZ — “Value-added agriculture” is a popular buzz phrase in rural areas for locally processing a raw crop into a more profitable, packaged food item.
The Ute Mountain Ute tribe is done with the talking. On Sept. 30, the tribe took action with the official opening of a $4 million corn-mill facility on its farm and ranch enterprise.
The state-of-the-art mill will produce and package several varieties of food-grade cornmeal under the Bow and Arrow brand name.
White, yellow, blue and Indian corn are planned for processing using 3,000 acres of corn grown on adjacent tribal farmland, located south of Towaoc.
The mill will create four or five new jobs, said farm and ranch manager Paul Evans, which could increase, along with the corn crop, based on demand for the product.
