UP, Heartland Co-op partner on grain shuttle facility

A new Heartland Co-op grain shuttle facility is under construction on the Union Pacific Railroad network in Millerton, Iowa.

UP’s partnership with Heartland will provide farmers greater access to key markets, according to an article on the UP “Inside Track” website.

“We appreciate Heartland Co-op investing in our railroad for the long term,” said Ryan Raess, general director, marketing and sales. “This enables us to support the growing market in southcentral Iowa and strengthen our grain origination base. We’re having frequent conversations with our customers and internal stakeholders to deliver a strong service product for the 2024 harvest.”

The new grain elevator is expected to open by late 2025 or early 2026. UP transports about 1.3 billion bushels of grain annually, with exports accounting for 30% to 40% of those shipments.

 “We’re excited to develop this project alongside Union Pacific. Union Pacific’s trust in our ability to create a state-of-the-art facility and be a strong long-term partner is greatly appreciated," said Heartland CEO and General Manager Tom Hauschel in the article.