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WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAU) - Marathon County is poised to give a Baraboo-based company up to $11.6 million in economic recovery zone bonds to help expand its plant in Rothschild.

The county's education and economic development committee approved the deal with Foremost Farms Monday. The county board will vote on it February 16.

Foremost Farms wants to begin construction in March to expand production of pharmaceutical lactose at its Rothschild facility, preserving 74 jobs and potentially creating new ones. Company officials told committee members that they are ready to move forward with the project even without the bonds.

The deal involves Marathon County assigning its bond money to the city of Appleton, who would then issue the bond. Outagamie County already approved a similar agreement.

The county has to act on the bonds before March 1 at the risk of losing its share of the bond money to a statewide pool. A bill pending in the state Legislature would call in all the bonds counties are authorized to issue and administer the money through the state commerce department. A Senate committee chaired by Stevens Point Democrat Julie Lassa will hold a public hearing on an amendment to the bill Tuesday afternoon.

Foremost Farms may not get the full $11.6 million. The county is willing to hold $1 million aside for a local business that is nearly 100 percent committed to expand its operations in the Wausau area. Final details of that company's application will be worked out before the county board vote.