It has been a big year for Nebraska agriculture. Commodity prices for grains remain depressed, but goals for the state’s ag industry — some that have been in the works for decades — are coming to fruition.
And these victories for the industry that drives Nebraska should be recognized and celebrated. In fact, these accomplishments are historic in nature, and they are a long time in coming.
Here are a few examples:
Sustainable Beef LLC. The good news started in March when the ribbon was cut for the new Sustainable Beef LLC processing plant in North Platte, Neb. The $400 million facility began processing in May with a single, daytime shift, with a capacity of processing 1,500 head per day.
By the end of the year, employment at the plant is expected to be about 850. Walmart became an investor in the project, helping move it over the finish line. Learn more at sustbeef.com.
DARI Processing LLC. In mid-June, dairy producers in Nebraska celebrated the groundbreaking for the first new dairy processing plant in 60 years. DARI Processing will build a new $165 million facility in Seward, Neb., that will process 1.8 million pounds of milk per day into Moo’V Real Milk, which is ultra-filtered, lactose-free, high in protein and lower in sugar.
When operational in 2027, the plant being built by the Tuls family will employ up to 75 people. Get details at farmprogress.com.
Norfolk Crush. A grand opening for Norfolk Crush in Norfolk, Neb., was held recently, celebrating the new soybean crush facility that employs 58 people and offers farmers another local market and processor for soybeans grown in the region.
Chad Spohn, president and CEO of Norfolk Crush, says that “many soybeans that were leaving the state for export through the Pacific Northwest and Mexico will now be crushed locally.” Learn more at norfolkcrush.com.
Ag Processing Inc. In mid-July, a grand opening was held for the new AGP soybean processing plant in David City, Neb. The finished plant has capacity to crush 150,000 bushels of soybeans per day, or 50 million bushels annually, employing 60 people. This new plant coincides with AGP’s expansion at its Pork of Grays Harbor and Terminal 4 in Aberdeen, Wash. Get the details at agp.com.
According to the Nebraska Soybean Board, the two plants together push the state’s crush capacity to 234 million bushels. That’s more than 70% of the 300 million bushels that comprise the average soybean production in the state.
There are many other positive developments in the works or close to completion, but these are just four that have been on the radar for a while. It shows that patience pays off.
Years in the making
The new DARI Processing and Sustainable Beef plants have been in the planning stages for years. In the case of DARI, a Grow Nebraska Dairy team has been working on new dairy processing in the state for decades. So, these new plants are not only victories for the farmers, ranchers and commodity groups — along with the companies building the plants and areas where they are built — but they are also wins for those who have pushed for projects like this, worked for them and promoted the concepts of these projects going back many, many years.
Overall, they are victories for Nebraska, offering opportunities for Nebraska-grown ag products and employment in communities as well.
As harvest season approaches, it’s OK to be concerned about commodity prices, but it’s also OK to celebrate a little with these historic developments that are sure to pay big dividends down the road.