Cargill adds 110-million-gallon ethanol plant in Nebraska

Cargill plans a new 110-million-gallon-per-year ethanol plant at its Blair, Nebraska, corn-processing complex. The plant would more than double the Blair facility’s ethanol capacity from its current 85-million-gallons per year. It would raise Cargill’s total annual United States production capacity to 230 million gallons, making it the nation’s second-largest ethanol producer. Combined with agreements with independent producers, Cargill expects to have the ability to supply more than 750 million gallons yearly.

Pending permitting and incentive approvals, construction will begin in spring 2006 with production commencing in late 2007. Cargill expects to hire 30 to 50 additional full-time employees for the facility’s operation.

Beyond its own production, Cargill has developed a comprehensive package of services and tools to help independent ethanol producers manage, protect and grow their ethanol businesses. These services include capital financing, grain origination and grain and energy risk management, and marketing of ethanol and distillers grains.