The new 680,000-bushel storage tank.
Photo by Chas. Hanson

NOVEMBER 2002

There has been a change in the Odebolt "skyline" recently as a result of on-going improvements being carried out by Farmer's Cooperative Company.

The first stage of  the improvements was construction of a  680,000-bushel storage tank between Main Street and Willow Street in Odebolt.

Work has now begun on upgrading train load-out facilities at FC in order to eventually accommodate 110-car trains.  A new loading track will run approximately two blocks from the east switch (east of Main Street) to the west switch (west of Walnut Street) and will include two new street crossings.

FC hopes the tunnel will be completed this fall.  Construction will also include a 15,000-bushel per hour leg to fill the new bin, a new rail scale geared with a 50,000-bushel per hour leg, a sample shed and control room, a fall- protection system (to ensure safety of employees loading trains) and removal of the current loading track.  The estimated total cost for the FC expansion and renovation is $4 million. 

FC has also installed a computerized CompuWeigh Grain Management System scale interface, which greatly reduces paperwork, improves efficiency of weighing and grading grain and enhances the ability to track grain lots through the house and from producer to end user.  This ability to track grain is a requirement of American Institute of Baking (AIB) Quality Management System project now in use at Odebolt.  FC-Odebolt recently became only the second grain handling facility to achieve a passing score on the AIB Quality Management System Evaluation. 

A section of the concrete tunnel is lowered into place 
Photo by Deb Loger, Ida Grove Courier

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