MANDEVILLE, LOUISIANA, U.S. — Consolidated Grain and Barge Co. has signed an agreement to lease nine grain elevators from Big River Rice and Grain, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Agspring.

The agreement includes seven facilities in Louisiana — in Crowville, Dunn, Hollybrook, Lake Providence, Mer Rouge, Monticello and Pioneer — and two facilities in Arkansas — in Eudora and Parkdale.

“We are pleased that area producers will directly benefit from this transaction with CGB through their direct ties to the export markets,” said Mark Beemer, chief executive officer of Agspring. “This transaction allows Agspring to focus on our value-added businesses, including Thresher Artisan Wheat, Firebird Artisan Mills and Agforce Transport Services.”

Consolidated Grain and Barge is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CGB Enterprises, Inc. The company operates 95 grain facilities across the U.S. Midwest.

Big River Rice and Grain provides origination, storage and handling, logistics, marketing and risk management for corn, soybeans, wheat, rice and milo.