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NE dairy plant would generate billions in state

A northeast Nebraska dairy producer says adding a processing plant in the state would incentivize expansion to Nebraska’s dairy industry.

A study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln shows adding a butter, cheese, yogurt or fluid milk plant would generate 1.7 billion dollars annually. 

Bill Thiele is a dairy farmer from Clearwater and tells Brownfield…

“To have one nearby is probably several hundred thousand dollars difference in our bottom line just for our one dairy, if we had a plant within 30, 40, 50 miles of our operation rather than shipping it three hours out of state,” he said.

The report, released to stakeholders Tuesday afternoon, studied the economic impact of a plant in three northeast Nebraska towns.

Governor Pete Ricketts says industry stakeholders need to incentivize potential businesses to come to the state.

“We’ve got great feed, we’ve got great water, we’ve got the University of Nebraska, we know agriculture is number one here in our state,” Ricketts said. “So, we’ve got a lot of advantages going for us, also just knocking on doors and finding those opportunities.”

Ricketts, the Nebraska Farm Bureau, the Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska, the Nebraska Soybean Association and state dairy association support the investment, but a timetable wasn’t determined when a plant might come to the state.

The study was funded by AFAN and the Nebraska Soybean Association.