A combination soybean-crushing and biodiesel plant is set for a grand opening ceremony in Southwest Missouri.

This story in the Fort Scott Tribune says the Prairie Pride, Inc. soybean oil extraction-biodiesel refining facility located about six miles east of Fort Scott, Kansas near Eve, Mo. will have the ceremony and other activities starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23.:

The company’s $80 million 210-acre production facility, which began operations last fall, crushes soybeans to extract the soy oil, a product which is then refined into biodiesel fuel…

Prairie Pride is a new generation producer cooperative that requires the producer to be a member in order to sell to the plant, which will eventually convert 21 million bushels of soybeans each year into 30 million gallons of biodiesel fuel, and 486,000 tons of soybean meal that can be fed to livestock. Co-op producers from five or six nearby states share in the ownership and profit of the operation.

Producers and farmers in Bourbon County, Vernon County, Mo., and other surrounding counties within a 100-mile radius will benefit from the plant. Prairie Pride, Inc., receives a percentage of the profits for every gallon of biodiesel sold. More than 1,000 producers have invested money in the plant. The average investment per producer is about $36,000, company officials said.

Missouri Congressman Ike Skelton, along with representatives for Kansas Senator Sam Brownback and Missouri Senator Kit Bond, will join local officials for the ceremony.

The plant could generate more than $250 million in gross income annually and employs between 35 and 40 people.