SHULLSBURG — Following the July 20 announcement by Prairie Farms Dairy of the closure of the White Hill Cheese plant in Shullsburg, a Seattle company is prepared to purchase the facility and begin production in September.

Last week it was announced that White Hill Cheese and Shullsburg Creamery were having operations shut down by Prairie Farms. It affected 97 employees in all — 54 at White Hill Cheese, and 43 at Shullsburg Creamery. For now, Prairie Farms is keeping the Shullsburg Creamery storefront open, as well as the distribution center.

Seattle-based Beecher’s Handmade Cheese has an agreement in place to acquire White Hill Cheese in mid-September. Beecher’s Handmade Cheese uses products free of artificial ingredients, and was founded in 2003. It was the first artisanal cheesemaker in Seattle at the time. The company plans to initially provide about three dozen jobs with plans to grow from there.

Speaking with the Telegraph Herald, Beecher’s founder and owner Kurt Beecher Dammeier said the company’s cheese and frozen food line has been successful, and the acquisition of the White Hill Cheese facility will help provide more internal capacity.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on July 23 that Beecher’s and Prairie Farms began meeting about the transaction before layoffs were announced. Liam Dammeier, Beecher’s business development director, said that the company’s needs were outpacing its capabilities in Seattle.

Beecher’s executives joined a Shullsburg town hall last week after the news broke. At the town hall, they helped White Hill Cheese employees fill out job applications to begin the hiring process.

Beecher’s also plans to operate a retail store in Shullsburg.