Stay informed with the LNN Daily Newsletter

Co-op to begin construction on new multi-million dollar fertilizer terminal at Grassy Lake

Feb 26, 2019 | 1:56 PM

TABER — Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) is investing $41.8 million to build a new state-of-the-art, high-throughput fertilizer terminal near Grassy Lake.

Construction is expected to begin this spring, with the terminal  operational for the summer of 2020.  The facility will have a rail access with a looptrack that will accommodate up to 110-car unit trains.

The project will create about 150 jobs during construction, with five full-time and two seasonal positions when the terminal is fully operational.

The terminal will warehouse, blend and distribute a full suite of crop nutrition products to locally owned Co-op Agro Centres, which then supply the products to farm customers. The new terminal will have a storage capacity of 34,400 metric tonnes and be able to fill a super B trailer with straight product in about six minutes.

The agricultural invesment, is a tangible investment in the region as Co-op follows through on a committment to advance infrastructure, products and services that support local communities.
 
Patrick Bergermann, FCL’s Associate Vice-President of Ag and Home, says the facility will suport local co-ops and is the next step in the growth of the company’s crop input business.
 
“This is a long-term investment back into Western Canada that will help us better serve and meet the needs of local co-ops along with their members and customers.”
 
 Dan Mulder, FCL’s Director of Fertilizer, says having a facility that efficiently receives and stores phosphate is essential as domestic production ends this spring.  
 
“This is one of the opportunities we want to provide through the terminal, along with greater convenience and service levels for Co-op customers in southern and central Alberta.”

FCL opened two fertilizer terminals in 2017 in Hanley, Sask., and Brandon, Man., which have storage capacities of 45,000 and 27,500 metric tonnes, respectively.