Indianapolis-based Co-Alliance Cooperative Inc. welcomed some 100 farmers on Aug. 28 for a tour of the $15 million in upgrades at its Mt. Summit facility in Henry County, Ind. Co-Alliance said some 16 agronomy locations in east central Indiana will benefit from this improved technology.
The upgrades include a dry fertilizer hub that will hold 26,000 st and should be completed and operational by the end of October 2023, providing supply for local growers and other Co-Alliance retail locations in the eastern Indiana trade area.
The hub will service farmers in a 45-60 mile radius of New Castle, Ind., and has two rail spurs and the capacity to unload 400 st/h. A state-of the-art mixing system on the blend tower allows the loading of a semi in under eight minutes.
In addition, the upgrades include a new liquid terminal, which Co-Alliance said will provide faster, more efficient, and environmentally friendly product distribution to farmers within a 25-mile radius. It will also eliminate human error and afford the grower precise mixing capabilities. Herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides will all be housed and distributed through the facility.
“We are very excited to be able to show off these new assets to help our team better service and support our farmer-owners,” said Kevin Still, Co-Alliance President and CEO. “At Co-Alliance, we understand that we must grow with our customers. Our growers are covering more acres, more quickly, in a more complex marketplace. We must meet their needs today and prepare for their needs of the future. This investment in east central Indiana is proof of that commitment.”
Still also highlighted a new feed mill under construction in Millville, Ind., which will have 1.5 million bushels of grain storage and the capacity to produce 300,000 tons of pelleted hog feed. The mill will need to source 6 million bushels of corn each year from local farmers. He said when all the projects are completed, the cooperative will have added 30 new agriculture-based jobs to the workforce of Henry County.
On Aug. 25, Co-Alliance and Ceres Solutions Cooperative, Crawfordsville, Ind., announced they are pursuing a three-month due diligence (GM Sept. 1, p. 1).