A plan to build a new agricultural export facility at Port Milwaukee got a boost from a $4.9 million state grant announced on Monday.
The $31.4 million project will be built on the west side of Jones Island in the Milwaukee harbor. It will be designed to support bulk shipment of a variety of agricultural products via truck and railroad including soybeans and corn with an initial focus on dried distillers grain, a byproduct of ethanol product uses as an animal feed supplement.
Port Milwaukee and Clinton, Wisconsin-based The DeLong Co. are partnering to develop the export facility. Funding also includes a $15.9 million federal grant announced earlier this month, $4.3 million from the port and $6.3 million from DeLong.
“The diversity of Wisconsin’s agriculture industry is our strength, and part of our international appeal,” Gov. Tony Evers said. “Our state’s agribusinesses rely on finding markets for the high-quality products our farmers produce. This grant connects the dots between our agricultural producers, state agencies, and businesses like DeLong that serve our agriculture community.”
The state grant from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Harbor Assistance Program was included in the funding package in the application for the federal grant. The project did have contingency plans if the state portion was not fully funded, including additional investment from DeLong.
“This grant will pay huge dividends,” said Craig Thompson, Wisconsin Department of Transportation secretary-designee. “In addition to supporting our vital agricultural industry, investments in our unique transportation asset – the state’s ports and harbors – prolongs the investment in our highways. Moving heavy bulk products by water saves our roadways from enormous wear and tear.”
