Premium Standard Farms Breaks Ground on Revolutionary Fertilizer Plant
US - Continuing the company’s tradition of environmental innovation, Premium Standard Farms today broke ground on the new Crystal Peak fertilizer plant at the Valley View farm in Sullivan County, Missouri.
The plant will convert hog manure into a high value commercial fertilizer using a process developed and patented by Premium Standard Farms and its technology partners and will eliminate the use of traditional anaerobic lagoons for manure treatment and storage.
“Today represents another important milestone in our continuing commitment to environmental innovation,“ said John Meyer, CEO of Premium Standard Farms. “Premium Standard Farms has always been on the leading edge of environmental improvement in the pork industry. The Crystal Peak process represents a new generation of environmental technology for agriculture.“
The $9 million plant at Valley View will produce 8,000 tons of 12-8-8 slow release, odor free, pathogen free fertilizer each year. In addition the system generates the energy needed to dry the fertilizer and it captures dust and gas emissions and recycles them back into the fertilizer. The J.R. Simplot Company has signed an agreement to purchase 100 percent of the product from this plant.
“I have been involved in many innovative environmental projects in my eight years in the pork industry,“ said Dave Townsend, vice president of environmental affairs for Premium Standard Farms. “We are always looking for opportunities to improve our environmental performance, and I think Crystal Peak is truly revolutionary. Not only will the system eliminate the use of traditional treatment and storage lagoons and capture emissions, but it produces a product that allows the nutrients in swine waste to be marketed as commercial fertilizer.“
Premium Standard Farms anticipates the plant will be fully operational by the end of 2004. The facility will employ 11 full time operators.
Source: Premium Standards Farm - 15th July 2004