WGEM's Robby Tucker reported that after more than two years after a derecho destroyed nearly all bins at the Roquette grain elevator in La Harpe, the facility’s rebuild is complete. On Oct. 30, over 150 area farmers gathered to celebrate the return of the elevator, which now features larger bins increasing storage from 760,000 to 860,000 bushels and larger grain pits.
Dump times have dropped from 15 minutes to just three, aided by new temperature cables that monitor grain quality. Elevator manager Mike Falk praised Roquette’s commitment to local farmers, while longtime customer Richard Apt, honored as the first to dump grain post-rebuild, called the facility “really nice.”
