CHS, Aurora Cooperative to build BNSF-served grain loading facility in Nebraska

Energy grains and foods company CHS Inc. and grain marketer Aurora Cooperative yesterday announced they formed a limited liability company to build and operate a high-speed rail shuttle loading facility near Superior, Neb.

The new entity, Superior East L.L.C., plans to begin construction immediately and complete the facility in about 12 months. The facility will include a 120-car circle track on a BNSF Railway Co. line to move corn, soybeans and hard red winter wheat to markets west and south, including Mexico.

The facility will feature a storage capacity of 1,250,000 bushels and provide ample room to expand both grain and fertilizer capacity, CHS and Aurora Cooperative officials said in a press release.

The "next-generation ag multiplex," which will be operated by Aurora Cooperative, will provide the coop's farmer owners in southern Nebraska and northern Kansas additional access to world grain and fertilizer markets via BNSF's system, said Aurora Cooperative President and Chief Executive Officer George Hohwieler.