BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – GROWMARK, Inc., has made an investment in Big River Resources, LLC, an ethanol production company located in West Burlington, Iowa. The investment became effective Sept. 18.

“Our investment in Big River Resources aligns with GROWMARK’s strategic goals to diversify and strengthen our operations,” said Mark Orr, CEO of GROWMARK, headquartered in Bloomington, Ill. “This investment will enable us to capture new revenue streams, and provide added value to our farmer members.”

David Zimmerman, CEO of Big River Resources, said, “We are pleased to welcome GROWMARK to the Big River team as a new investor. GROWMARK’s cooperative nature and focus of returning value to its member-owners and farmer customers aligns strongly with our goals.

“We are committed to the enhancement of local communities through continuing value-added corn processing, as well as maximizing the growing carbon economy for our shareholders and producer-members,” he added. “GROWMARK will be a strong partner for us in realizing these goals.”

When asked why GROWMARK decided to invest in Big River Resources, Matt Lurkins, GROWMARK vice president of grain and strategic relationships, told Farm World, “As part of our strategy at GROWMARK, we have identified moving up the agricultural supply chain as a strategic initiative.

“That includes investing in the grain processing space,” he said. “Ethanol is a big driver of the agricultural markets, and so it makes sense that we should be involved in that space. That strategic initiative led to discussions with shareholders of Big River Resources, ultimately leading to our investment.” He added, “The specifics of the investment is not something we care to discuss.”

In addition to being the sixth largest ethanol producer in the U.S., Big River Resources has operations in Aledo/Edgington, Galva, Monmouth, and Taylor Ridge, Ill.; West Burlington, Iowa; and Boyceville, Wis.

Lurkins said, “Big River Resources aligns with the GROWMARK System, providing greater access to the upstream value added to the corn produced by GROWMARK’s farmer customers. Our stake in Big River Resources is one more way we’re giving our member companies and the farmers we represent a competitive edge in the global grain market.”

Zimmerman told Farm World, “We believe that GROWMARK’s commitment to the success of its producer owners aligns well with that of Big River. Although the two companies remain as separate entities, Big River will always look for common ground and shared objectives within our entire shareholder group.”

When asked how the undisclosed investment will benefit farmers, Lurkins said, “In the immediate term, we will acclimate ourselves to the nuances of ethanol markets through our involvement in Big River Resources. We look forward to gaining in-depth insights into the drivers of the ethanol markets, and how they interplay with the fertilizer, energy, and commercial grain markets in which we are currently invested.

“The financial benefits of the investment with Big River Resources will be a direct benefit to our member owners, which, in turn, will be a direct benefit to their farmer owners,” he said. “Our mission is to capture as much of the value created by American agriculture, and return it to our farmer owners as we possibly can.”