Bartlett to construct soybean-crushing plant in southeast Kansas

With the addition of a planned soybean-crushing plant in Montgomery County, Bartlett will have nine facilities in Kansas. (Photo: Bartlett)

Bartlett, a Savage company, has obtained approval from the Board of County Commissioners of Montgomery County, Kansas, to receive county-issued industrial-revenue bonds to support Bartlett’s development of a soybean-crushing facility in Montgomery County. The Bartlett plant will be capable of handling approximately 38.5 million bushels of soybeans annually to crush into soybean meal and refined soybean oil, feedstock used in producing renewable fuels, food products, and animal feeds.

“This is an important milestone for our project, enabling infrastructure investment in Kansas that accelerates the nation’s transition to a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable transportation system,” said Bob Knief, president of Bartlett. “We appreciate the county commissioners’ recognition of the long-term benefits this plant will provide by expanding markets for area producers and agribusinesses and driving economic growth in Montgomery County and southeast Kansas. With strong demand for soybean products, we look forward to our crushing facility supporting farming families in the Midwest and playing a vital role in multiple supply chains including renewable diesel production.”

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said, “Agriculture-based and renewable-energy businesses are major economic drivers in Kansas, and I am extremely pleased to see Bartlett recognize just how ideal this location is for the future of their operations. Powered by Kansas’ outstanding infrastructure and talented workforce, I’m confident Bartlett’s new project will be a tremendous success and have a significant economic impact on the region and our state as a whole.”

David Toland, the lieutenant governor and commerce secretary, added, “With our strategic location in the middle of the country and our strong agricultural roots, I’m absolutely thrilled that Bartlett chose Kansas as the place to locate this impressive new facility. We know they had other states in the region to choose from, so I am proud but not surprised that they selected Kansas as the winning location for this project. It’s proof of their visionary approach, and of the strong assets in Kansas we have to offer ag-based and renewable energy companies.”

Construction is scheduled to start in early 2022, with plant operations anticipated to begin in 2024. The Bartlett facility will create about 50 permanent jobs and process about 110,000 bushels of soybeans per day. The project also will support additional jobs and economic activity during construction.

The approved bond incentives from Montgomery County and tax credits available through the state’s High Performance Incentive Program make Bartlett’s estimated $325 million investment in soybean processing infrastructure possible. With easy access to highways 160, 166, 169, and 400, the plant will create strong, local demand for soybeans and provide a consistent and competitive source of soybean meal, hulls, and oil for the feed, food, and renewable fuel industries. This project also will encourage rail improvements benefitting southeast Kansas. The South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad, owned and operated by WATCO, will provide rail services for the facility, connecting the plant to a network of Class 1 carriers.