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New grain facility to offer marketing opportunities for Wisconsin, Minnesota farmers

A new grain facility on the Wisconsin-Minnesota border means new marketing opportunities for farmers.

Shortly after a merger that formed Alcivia Cooperative, farmers told the board they needed a way to sell grain to new markets and take a smaller basis hit on grain prices.  After a year of construction, President and CEO Jim Dell says their new Hager City, Wisconsin grain drying and loading location along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe mainline is about ready. “Burlington Northern has been awesome to work with giving us good domestic destinations in the southwest part of the country, Hereford, Texas, as well as being able to go to Mexico and the Pacific Northwest so we’re really excited about the diversification it will bring us.”

Farmer and Winfield United agronomist Brent Wink from Glenwood City says area farmers needed another outlet for grain, and this is the biggest opportunity since the last ethanol plant was built. “Obviously, when the river freezes up, you’re not hauling grain so for us, it’s a nice opportunity. We can haul year round.”

The new Hager City facility has 3.9 million bushels of upright storage, two 47-hundred bushel-per-hour grain dryers, and three 15-hundred bushel capacity dump pits that allow trucks to unload 20-thousand bushels per hour. The new facility can can precisely load 60-thousand bushels per hour, and an entire train in just ten hours, all with one or two people. Alcivia is anticipating 20 to 25 million bushels will leave the new facility each year after 2027. Dell says, “This project is a win-win. Farmers gain more efficient access to diverse markets, and the community benefits from increased tax revenue and economic activity. We’re confident this will be a game-changer for the region.” Farmers are able to use radio frequency ID in their trucks to weigh in and out, and have the grain accounted for. During harvest season, Dell says they could bring in grain 24-hours a day if needed.

Lydia Underdahl from BNSF tells Brownfield Alcivia will use the railroad’s grain shuttle service.  “These are dedicated shuttle trains, so they operate with minimal stops, which enable that rapid turnaround time, so we’re shooting for a couple of days as farmers work quickly to harvest crops.”  She says the grain will go from origin to destination within a few days.

The new facility already has thirteen shuttle trains of corn sold in Texas and Mexico before bringing in the first bushel.  Operation begins next month.

AUDIO: Alcivia Cooperative President and CEO Jim Dell discusses the new Hager City, Wisconsin railroad grain shipping facility with Brownfield’s Larry Lee.

AUDIO: Lydia Underdahl from Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad explains how Alcivia’s grain moves through the railroad system with Brownfield’s Larry Lee.

AUDIO: Farmer, Winfield United agronomist, and Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board member Brent Wink from Glenwood City, WI discusses how the new Alcivia grain facility will benefit the farmers of the region with Brownfield’s Larry Lee.

AUDIO: Farmer Bill Schroeder from Hager City, WI discusses the new Alcivia grain facility on land he originally acquired from an abandoned frack sand site with Brownfield’s Larry Lee.