By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Grain processing facilities are in the financing stages
of planning and Juab County Commissioners held a public
hearing, on Monday, to take comment on whether to allow
county financial clout to assist in bonding for the
multi-million dollar project.
The project is being planned by Intermountain Farmers
(IFA) and by Moroni Feed.
Spence Lloyd, vice-president of Intermountain Farmers,
and Randon Wilson, attorney for IFA, met with commissioners
to answer any questions which might be asked.
A railroad spur, designed to bring grain to the area, was
recently completed and is ready for the next stage of
development&emdash;that of bringing IFA grain storage and
processing facilities to the location.
Only the press represented the public at the hearing. A
point, said Wilson, which indicated that the public was
generally approving of economic development projects.
"The lack of attendance is usually indicative of general
support," said Wilson.
Community support, he said, was usually high for projects
which did not impact the environment but which brought tax
money and jobs to an area.
"Moroni Feed are financing their portion of the project
in another way," said Wilson. "Theirs is the largest portion
of the proposal."
IFA is seeking to use the bonding influence of the county
to assist in obtaining a bond for $3.1 million to allow the
company to construct a grain processing facility at
approximately 2941 West 6300 South in Nephi.
"Both have needs of large amounts grain and the
processing, storage facilities and circular railroad spur
will benefit each of them," said Wilson.
Neither of the companies can use the same facility on
site so each is building a separate facility but each will
utilize the railroad spur, said Glenn Greenhalgh, county
economic development and county planning commission
director.
Because each company will make feed out of grain
following a different kind of ration formula, it will be
important for each to have separate facilities.
Moroni Feed, said Wilson, primarily makes feed for
turkeys. That is done at a location in Sanpete County and so
the company is building grain storage facilities at the
Nephi site.
That facility will actually be larger than the one
proposed by IFA.
Wilson said IFA has different kinds of ration, used
primarily by the stock feeding industry but also for other
farm animals. Those feed mixtures will be processed at the
site.
"The primary market will be the southern half of the
state and some in Nevada," said Wilson.
He said IFA currently has two other facilities in the
state, one of those in Draper. Construction of the Nephi
site may, ultimately, mean closure of the Draper site as the
population crush in that area moves the farming
community.
At next commission meeting, said Wm. Boyd Howarth,
commission chairman, commissioners may sign a resolution
allowing the bonding to move forward.
"We want to be sure that your commission is comfortable
with this way of financing," said Wilson.
IFA wants to reassure commissioners that the county will
in no way be obligated for any payback whether the venture
is successful or not, he said.
"This way of financing provides excellent economic
development help and you may be approached for this kind of
help from other businesses in the future," said Wilson.
Such financing practices are common, he said.
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