FS GRAIN announced plans to upgrade and expand its existing grain elevator in St. Anne, Ill., by adding a new state-of-the-art shuttle loader with mainline, Class I rail services provided by Union Pacific and CSX railroads.

Together with its existing footprint in St. Anne, the construction of the new shuttle loader will transform St. Anne into a multimodal grain hub, giving area farmers unprecedented access to new markets in the southern U.S. and Mexico.

New state-of-the-art technology and automation will also move grain through the St. Anne location with unmatched speed, the announcement said, reducing load and unload times for trucks and railcars. The minimum throughput capacity for the new facility is expected to be 40 million bu.

“We have a great opportunity to install the latest technology available to give our customers a fast, accurate experience when they visit the St. Anne site,” FS GRAIN general manager Cory Winstead said. “We’ll be able to load trucks and rail cars in the most efficient ways possible that save time and keep grain moving through our system, whether by truck or rail.”

Winstead said the partnership between Union Pacific and CSX will transform St. Anne into the premier choice for area farmers. “We are excited to partner with Union Pacific and CSX to open these new market opportunities to our farmer customers,” he said. “At FS GRAIN, we’re always looking for ways to grow and innovate that give our farmer customers a competitive edge in the global grain market.”

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Union Pacific director-marketing and sales JJ Sullivan said, “We appreciate FS GRAIN investing in our railroad for the long term. This facility strengthens our grain origination base in northeast Illinois and provides additional supply options for Union Pacific grain customers.”

"We are pleased to partner with FS GRAIN to expand its service into St. Anne, Ill.,” CSX senior vice president of sales and marketing Arthur Adams added. “Our collaboration on the new facility reinforces our commitment to delivering superior service for all our customers. Together, we are driving growth and strengthening the foundation for future success."

The facility, constructed by GROWMARK Construction, will take approximately 18 months to complete, with an estimated ground-breaking date in late 2024.

FS GRAIN, headquartered in Morris, Ill., was formed by FS member cooperatives and GROWMARK to provide grain services at its 19 locations in northern Illinois.