Wisconsin is proudly known as the dairy state for good reason, our milk and cheese. However would you change your mind if plans for a new dairy farm were coming to your town? That's the question neighbors in one small community are dealing with this week.

Holland's Family Cheese wants the build and expand to a new farm on the south side of Thorp, right off Highway 29.

On Thursday night it was standing room only for the Thorp Planning Committee. The committee heard public comment on rezoning application. While people who spoke out were split, the majority of people at the meeting want a new dairy farm and cheese store with-in the city limits.

"We cannot solely rely on farming to move our economy forward. We need to find industrial companies that will provide jobs and bring people in to buy homes and spend money in our community," said one woman who’s against the farm.

"We also need to consider that we have businesses interested in coming across the street to where this will be. No one will want to be in a restaurant eating soup with a big manure pit sitting there," says another woman.

With some concerned with the health risks and the smell that could come with having a farm on the south side of the city others say having Holland's Family Cheese opening a new farm and store right of Highway 29 in Thorp is a good idea.

"This state is covered with dairy farms from one end to the other and there are people living right next to all of these dairy farms. I have lived on one my whole life and I can attest there are no health risks," says one man who’s in support of the farm.

"Thorp is a golden nugget and we have to all stick together and we have to make this work,” said one Thorp business owner.

The city's planning committee asked people to fill out forms to get their opinion on the dairy farm. From those who answered, 55 people say they're for it and 17 are against it.

"I was amazed, I was just blown away by the support we had tonight. I never thought it would cause so much commission a couple people against it," says Marieke Penterman, Owner of Holland’s Family Cheese.

She says she's happy things are moving forward but understands why some people are upset.

"I think there's a lot of miss communication and miss information that they have," says Penterman.

She says she wants to use the farm to help educate people on farm life. The full city council will take up the zoning request at its next meeting February 13th.