Sedgwick County appraiser speaks out after spike in county property valuations
14 March 2023
GOODLAND, Kan. (KSNW) – A former sunflower crush plant near Goodland is about to get new life in the renewable fuels market.
Scoular, an agribusiness company based in Omaha, purchased the plant in 2021. On Tuesday, it announced it will retrofit the facility to crush soybeans and canola.
The dual oilseed crush plant is expected to begin operations in the fall of 2024 and will employ up to 40 people. It will process 11 million bushels of oilseeds a year, switching between canola and soybeans as availability dictates.
Scoular is partnering with Kansas State University to advise farmers on the best ways to grow canola. It says the crop is well-suited for planting in a winter wheat rotation in the Southern Great Plains. The rotation can improve weed control and wheat yields.
According to the company, canola has high oil content and is valued in the renewable fuels sector, particularly for use in renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel markets. Those markets will grow to over 5 billion gallons by 2025.
“Scoular is bringing the canola market back to Kansas and Oklahoma,” Ed Prosser, Scoular’s senior vice president of emerging businesses, said in a news release. “This investment will provide producers with the opportunity to participate in the booming renewable fuels market.”
“The recommissioning of the crush facility in Goodland will breathe new life into the Great Plains canola industry,” Michael Stamm, K-State agronomist, said. “This facility will provide new opportunities for renewable diesel feedstock production, generating greater value for the canola grown in the region.”
“Scoular’s decision to invest in the crush facility in Goodland will increase marketing opportunities for farmers and contribute to the economic prosperity of northwest Kansas,” U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran said. “The Goodland oilseed processing plant is an important juncture for farming in western Kansas and food and fuel production for the nation.”
As low-carbon crops such as camelina develop in the future, Scoular says it will also be able to process those new seeds.