The new $50 million South Dakota Wheat Growers facility at Kennebec is open and nearly fully operational. Facility Manager Todd Longville says the agronomy center and fertilizer plant are open, with construction moving along at the grain elevator.

He says they hope to have the grain elevator and dryer finished and operational by wheat harvest, which would be ahead of schedule. The elevator will provide more storage, faster dumping and will be able to load out 80,000 bushels an hour.

Longville says they’ll also have more dependable rail service at the new facility, which will increase competition and prices for grain producers in a bigger area.

Rehabilitation of the rail line from Mitchell to Presho has already started, with the Chamberlain to Presho leg yet to be completed. Dakota Southern Railway will provide service on that rail stretch.