GARDEN CITY, KANSAS, US — Garden City Co-op (GCC) is moving forward with plans to build a new shuttle loader facility northwest of Holcomb, Kansas, US, after securing the necessary financing, the company announced Nov. 15.

With track access on the BNSF rail line, the transloading facility will allow for an efficient loop track to be built, creating opportunities for future industry development that can benefit the coop’s member farmers and the entire region, the company said. 

The 1.1-million-bushel grain facility has been designed to be highly flexible and automated, providing a safe working environment for employees, maximizing grain quality, and exporting and importing grain out/into the area as conditions demand.

GCC’s board of directors approved the project after securing financing with its Colorado-based lender, CoBank. Construction is slated to begin within a month, and GCC anticipates the location being fully operational by early 2024.

“We believe with the grain production and demand growth in the market, this facility allows GCC to access additional market opportunities within its own supply chain logistics.  This follows our mission statement by creating additional value and proactively adapt to our farmer members ever evolving needs,” said Jeff Boyd, chief executive officer of Garden City Co-op. “This facility allows us to leverage our investment in our grain origination and merchandising teams to reach more markets for our members’ grain.”

The grain facility will be constructed by Buresh Building Systems, Inc. of Hampton, Iowa, US. Ameritrack Rail will construct the rail loop, civil engineering services are being provided by VAA, LLC, and Wehkamp Excavating, Inc. will complete the civil preparation work. Land O Lakes Inc.’s Strategic Asset Management has provided the construction consultation throughout the project.

Garden City Co-op is a full-service agricultural cooperative in southwest Kansas serving member-owners' grain, agronomy and petroleum needs. With 20 elevators and a federally licensed storage capacity of 31.59 million bushels, Garden City Co-op is 55th-largest grain company in North America, according to Sosland Publishing Co.’s 2022 Grain & Milling Annual.