Original Source TheNewsRecord.com

Governor Terry McAuliffe will visit Halifax County on Wednesday to take part in what is being billed as an important economic development announcement at the location of Springfield Plantation and Distillery on River Road.

Springfield Plantation and Distillery is owned by James and Kelly Gordon, who have been converting the property into a bed and breakfast and distillery over the span of years. The distillery is on pace for a spring opening.

McAuliffe is due to make his appearance Wednesday at 1:30 p.m., accompanied by Todd Haymore, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry.

McAuliffe is expected to announce the award of small business grants to foster the creation of between 5 and 15 new jobs in the county.

Construction of Springfield’s log-hewn cabins was chronicled on “Barnyard Builders,” a program on the DIY Network, in December. The cabins have been added on the grounds of historic Springfield, long held by the Chalmers-Coleman family.

In an effort to spur agribusiness development, last year the Halifax County Board of Supervisors broadened local economic development incentives to help enterprises such as Springfield.

The board amended the Halifax Opportunity Fund to create the Halifax Agri-Business Opportunity Program, allowing farm- and timber-based operations to claim financial incentives for capital investment and job creation. The program is similar to the Opportunity Fund, which assists local industries, but operates on a smaller scale.