Jamie Koerner

    A $155 million Monsanto seed corn production facility will begin construction by the end of the year just across the Seward County line near Waco.
     Between the new facility and an expansion at the facility in Kearney, approximately 55 new full-time and 2,000 part-time jobs will be created.
     Construction is expected to be complete in 2009.
     "We were very excited about expanding in Nebraska," Darren Wallis, director of public affairs at Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Mo., said. "Nebraska is a great place to do business. We've been there for 50 years and the site expansion made good sense for our company."
     The new Waco facility, which will be 230,000 square feet of warehouse and located on 145 acres of land, is intended for production of Monsanto's popular seed corn brand, DEKALB, which is a scientifically engineered seed corn with biotechnology traits designed to produce higher yields.
     The facility will produce 1,200 bags of seed per hour and double Monsanto's seed production in Nebraska.
     "Expanding production capacity in Nebraska is essential in continuing to meet the growing demand for our DEKALB brand corn seed products throughout the Western Corn Belt," Mark Leidy, executive vice president of manufacturing for Monsanto Company, said. "Both facilities will have state-of-the-art production technologies and will offer quality jobs for residents in their communities."
     Lana Zumbrunn, executive director of Seward County Economic Development, said she agrees that even though the facility is not in Seward County, it will benefit the county because it is so close.
     "It is very positive that this $155 million investment is going to be located in our regional area," Zumbrunn said. "Would we have liked to have it in Seward County? Yes. Will Seward County benefit? Yes."