By Sara QuamLuverne is getting a new business that will occupy a building that’s been for sale since 2001.Express Ag co-owner Jim Thovson represented the business at a hearing before the Luverne Economic Development Authority and Luverne City Council Tuesday.The city is selling the former Exsito tomato-processing plant for $135,000. The business will have to put another $93,000 into the building to get it ready for operations.Express Ag is a wholesale repackaging and distribution business for crop production supplies that will be sold in the retail market.The products the company will handle include seed, chemicals and some equipment.Thovson said Tuesday, "This business is going to progress rapidly, I hope, and I do have the confidence that it will."Express Ag was granted Job Opportunity Building Zone tax breaks.Thovson, currently from Slayton, is a consultant and has experience in agriculture product sales.Thovson said the business will be successful because there isn’t one quite like it in the immediate area. The company is hiring its first full-time employee and expects another one by spring.According to the agreement for JOB Zones, the business must have three additional full-time employees by 2015, when the tax breaks end. Long-term plans have the company employing 10 to 12 people.The type of labor needed will be agricultural sales and personnel for delivery, repackaging and warehouse services.The timeline for the business includes office and warehouse modifications to be completed by Sept. 15 and operations starting in full by Oct. 1.