CHS Inc., a leading farmer-owned cooperative and global agribusiness, has announced plans for a significant expansion and upgrade of its grain terminal in Kindred, North Dakota. This strategic investment aims to improve speed and storage capacity in a key agricultural region, further connecting local growers to nearby processing plants and the Pacific Northwest export market.
Key highlights of the expansion include:
Increased Capacity: The facility's overall capacity will reach 5.2 million bushels upon completion.
Infrastructure Upgrade: Existing steel bins will be replaced with concrete operating space, adding 890,000 bushels of storage.
Enhanced Efficiency: The project includes a new load out and two high-speed receiving dumps to increase efficiency and market access.
Strategic Location: The Kindred facility benefits from rail access to the Red River Valley and Western Railroad Company (RRVW), linking it to a new soybean crush plant and existing ethanol plant in nearby Casselton.
Timeline: Removal of existing steel bins is expected to begin in late 2024, with construction of new concrete storage slated for 2025. The facility is projected to be complete in late 2026.
Rick Dusek, CHS executive vice president of ag retail, distribution and transportation, emphasized the cooperative's focus on investments that enhance global market access for its owners. "Investing in our Kindred grain terminal is just one example of how CHS is strengthening the grain supply chain by connecting local growers to the global marketplace," Dusek stated.
Local grower and CHS Dakota Plains Ag producer board member David Braaten highlighted the benefits for area farmers: "Adding storage capacity at the Kindred facility, in addition to increasing speed and efficiency, will benefit local farmers throughout the year and especially during peak harvest seasons."
The expansion is part of a broader strategy by CHS to invest in key assets along strategic grain corridors. Dennis Novacek, senior director of operations at CHS Dakota Plains Ag, which will manage the facility, noted the importance of efficient assets in serving farmer-owners now and in the future.
This project, along with other recent expansions in Drayton, North Dakota, and new facilities in Worthing, South Dakota, and Erskine, Minnesota, contributes to CHS's efforts to build a globally connected grain supply chain. These investments aim to create a network of assets that bring value and improved service to farmer-owners along the Interstate 29 corridor, connecting the eastern Dakotas and west-central Minnesota to global markets.
The Kindred facility upgrade represents a significant step in enhancing North Dakota's agricultural infrastructure, promising to boost efficiency and market access for local growers while strengthening the region's position in the global grain trade.
