ALEXANDRIA, Ind. — The Madison County Commissioners voted to rezone land bringing another central Indiana ethanol plant closer to reality.

Since 2005, a total of 17 ethanol production facilities are in some stage of construction. Four new biodiesel plants are also in progress in Indiana.

Michael Hershman, executive director of the Madison County Planning Commission, said he is pleased that the proposed plant is set to be constructed by Broin Co. and Ultimate Ethanol, LLC in Madison County. The 235-acre location, about one mile north of Alexandria, is expected to break ground this month, though not all state or building permits are completed. Alexandria is about 40 miles north of Indianapolis.

“They’re now in the process of getting final state permits. It shouldn’t be a problem for Broin; they’ve worked with the state before on an ethanol plant in Portland, Ind.,” Hershman said.

Ironically, the site is currently a cornfield. Construction is expected to take 12-18 months. The plant should be operational by 2008, and it will employ approximately 40. The economic impact for Madison County is expected to be significant.

“We’re talking about a $105 million project that should provide some growth in a predominately ag area of the county,” Hershman said. According to Ultimate Ethanol, LLC, 21 million bushels of corn will be purchased from area farmers each year.

“The county overall has been fairly supportive, a few in the immediate area weren’t as much, but that can be expected,” said Hershman of his community’s opinion about the project.

Some residents have aired concerns over the location of the plant, rezoning agricultural land to industrial, odor, noise, water quality and potential for traffic problems related to the plant. However, the planning commissioners have stated that the economic impact to Madison County is worth it, as is lessening dependence of foreign oil.

In Indiana, new biofuels plants will create 918 new jobs and put at least $29.5 million dollars into the state’s agriculture sector.

This farm news was published in the Dec. 13, 2006 issue of Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee.