All Posts from July 9, 2013

PCS Sales issues new K posting

PCS Sales has issued a new granular potash posting of $420/st FOB, which is about $20/st below recent market prices across the Cornbelts. Recent Cornbelt market pricing has been in the $440-$445/st FOB range.

Specific locations listed for the $420/st FOB price are Fort Dodge and Waterloo, Iowa, Casey, Colfax, Danville, Marseilles, Seneca and Springfield, Ill., Burns Harbor, Delphi, Indianapolis, Jeffersonville and Walton, Ind., St. Louis, Mo., and Crestline and Maumee, Ohio.

The PCS postings are for July 8 forward.

Sen. Boxer urges state governors to adopt AN policies

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), sent a letter to every state governor on July 9 asking them to take action to prevent explosions of ammonium nitrate, the chemical that was responsible for the April 17 explosion at the West Fertilizer facility in West, Texas.

While offering no specific recommendations, Boxer urged the governors to review their state’s applicable requirements for ammonium nitrate, “and in the interests of saving lives, adopt policies that you believe will prevent loss of life while allowing the use of ammonium nitrate with appropriate protections or the use of alternatives.”

Boxer’s letter follows a June 27 oversight hearing held by the EPW (GM July 1, p. 1) during which testimony was heard from the Chemical Safety Board (CSB), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the federal Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA), and other witnesses.

“I trust you will agree with me that we must ensure that all available measures are used to prevent explosions of this dangerous chemical,” Boxer’s letter states. “Ensuring proper controls on ammonium nitrate can be lifesaving.”

“Ammonium nitrate can explode when it is heated or contaminated and threatens the lives of first responders and people in communities located near facilities that handle this material,” the letter continues. “Chemical explosions can have tragic consequences, but best practices can prevent disasters.”

CHS breaks ground on new plant

CHS Inc. along with the City of Shelby, Toole County and the Port Authority of Northern Montana announced July 9 that CHS broke ground on construction of a 42,000 st fertilizer plant outside Shelby, Mont. The new facility, with 160-car shuttle loader access to the BNSF line, is expected to open in early spring 2014 and serve producers in the north central Montana and southern Alberta, Canada, regions.

“Geographically, this area has sometimes been challenging to service,” said Ross Thayer, general manager of the CHS Cut Bank-Shelby region. “This new plant will mean a more consistent supply to our current customers and a broader reach to new customers. With tremendous support from our patrons as well as the City, County and Port Authority, this is one more way we can bring the global connections of CHS to help our owners and customers grow.”

“This is great news for northern Montana,” said Larry Bonderud, mayor, City of Shelby. “CHS has had a positive presence in our community for decades and we sincerely appreciate the investment it is making for the future of our business environment. We look forward to the continued commitment of CHS in our region.”