The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Growers from Iowa and Illinois see ethanol plant dream become a reality Wednesday.
by Mike Augspurger/Hawk Eye (Courtesy The Hawk Eye)
The corn brought in by two semis for the ribbon-cutting ceremonies at the Big River Resources ethanol plant was nothing special - No. 2 yellow.
About 800 bushels came across the Mississippi River from Jeff McWhorter's farm in Illinois. He drove the truck from Aledo for the Wednesday afternoon program.
Another 950 bushels were on a truck driven by Dan Keitzer. He also drove his own truck that carried corn from his Mediapolis field.
Corn delivered from two states was significant for the program, showing the unity of people and organizations in the area to create an $57 million ethanol plant, said Ray Defenbaugh of Biggsville, Ill., co-chairman of the cooperative's board of directors.
The idea of building a plant in the area to process corn into ethanol and using the byproduct as a feed additive began roughly three years ago. Andy Brader of Mediapolis began the dream after touring a similar facility near Blairstown. He hooked up a host of others, who eventually turned the idea into reality.
Corn prices are good right now, and the ethanol plant probably will pay a few cents over market price at times, Defenbaugh said. The two ceremonial loads, for example, were paid around sevens cents more a bushel than the day's market price.
The truckloads were selected by a computer drawing from a list of producers slated to sell corn to the plant.
Defenbaugh told about 70 people at the program that the plant shows what can be done with efforts by several communities, organizations, public entities and individuals. After breaking ground 16 months ago, officials hope to begin making ethanol Monday.
Brader, also a co-chairman of the board, thanked the 611 investors from Iowa and Illinois - mostly corn growers - contractors, engineers, public officials, economic development groups, utility companies and subcontractors for their efforts in making the 3-year-old dream come to fruition.
"It was one little idea," Brader said. "Just look, it's unbelievable."
The plant will be able to unload two semis at the same time. The process takes less than four minutes.
Edgar Seward, the plant's general manager, said the facility employs 34 people. The average wage is $13 an hour.
Defenbaugh, whose little grandson tugged on his pants and asked about painting Easter eggs Thursday night, said the plant is for future generations of producers in southeast Iowa and west-central Illinois.
Nathan Defenbaugh eventually may haul grain to the plant that he owns through the cooperative, his grandfather said.
"We want to keep our youth in the community instead of sending them off somewhere else," Defenbaugh said.
As his grandson walked along the new cement driveway, Defenbaugh said: "This is what the long hours and days have been for - the future."
-photo by Scott Morgan/The Hawk Eye
Trucks filled with corn from Iowa and Illinois pull onto hoppers for a ceremonial delivery Wednesday at the ribbon cutting for the ethanol plant built by Big River Resources in Burlington. The trucks belonging to Jeff McWhorter of Aledo, left, and to Dan Keitzer of Mediapolis were selected at random by computer for the first load.