Corn brings in the green

September 25, 2007

MENOMONIE - After a year in operation, the Western Wisconsin Energy ethanol plant near Boyceville is helping pump up the local economy.

"I have seen a difference," said Wendy Turner, owner of Wendy's Wheeler Inn in nearby Wheeler. "I have definitely gotten some business out of it."

Turner has delivered food to the plant and has had workers stop in.

Theresa Keck, manager of the Cenex Convenience Store in Boyceville, said the plant has brought in more business.

"I have seen more people going through and stopping who are on their way to the ethanol plant and people who are working there," she said.

Pizzas have been ordered from the store for meetings as well, Keck said.

"It is going really well," she said.

Western Wisconsin Energy President Paul Harrison said he is pleased with the plant's first year in operation and the additional tax base it has brought to Dunn County. The $61 million plant shipped its first ethanol the second week of September 2006. It employs 37 people.

"The property on which the plant stands was a cornfield which contributed $3,000 a year (in property tax) in 1996," Harrison said. "This year, WWE will pay about $300,000."

The corn ethanol plant used about 18 million bushels of corn in its first year and produced about 48 million gallons of ethanol, said WWE General Manager Steve Christensen. Those numbers are slightly higher than initial estimates.

State Rep. Jeff Wood, R-Chippewa Falls, has heard great things about the economic impact of WWE.

"Whether it is gas stations, restaurants or grocery stores, local business owners are talking about the increase in customers and business," he said. "The plant's positive impact is even better than I expected."

Dunn County Economic

Development Executive Director Bob Bossany said the addition of WWE has increased corn prices in the region. He estimated corn was up to about $3.75 per bushel. At one time it was as low as $1.45 per bushel.

"That is a substantial benefit for the agricultural economy in this area," Bossany said.

The plant, owned cooperatively by farmers, was designed to create a local market for corn. Because of drought conditions in western Wisconsin last year, some corn was shipped in from eastern Wisconsin, but the majority of the bushels generally are coming from western Wisconsin farms, Christensen said.

Most of the ethanol ends up as an additive to gasoline.

A by-product of ethanol production is distiller's grain. WWE expects to produce about 140,000 tons of distiller's grain a year. "We could market twice as much," Christensen said, adding that most of it is used as cattle feed.

Lee Jensen, general manager of 5 Star Dairy in Elk Mound, said WWE's distiller's grain is high quality and an excellent source of protein and energy for cattle.

"Having the plant located in our region is a real complement to cattle and poultry operations," he said.

Shareholders in the company come from 10 counties, the majority from Dunn and Barron counties, Christensen said.

Last year $1 million worth of dividends was given to shareholders at the annual meeting. The next annual meeting is in December.

Some concern has been raised by neighbors about truck noise and noise from the plant itself. The company has been working to resolve those issues, including adding plant insulation and enclosing some equipment to dampen noise, Christensen said.

WWE is committed to looking at other ways to help curb noise, even though the plant's noise levels are under the required limits. "It is a continual process," Christensen said.

Powers can be reached at 715-235-9018 or pamela. powers@ecpc.com.

Leader-Telegram, Tuesday, September 25, 2007, City/Region

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