By DEBORAH GERTZ HUSAR

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

GRIGGSVILLE, Ill. -- A groundbreaking ceremony this morning marked the next phase of construction of a new feed mill near Griggsville.

Local officials and area businesspeople joined executives of The Maschhoffs to break ground for construction of the 167-foot slip-formed concrete mill tower.

"This shows we've accomplished phase one with ground work, phase two with getting our bins and grain pits constructed to receive corn and that we're starting phase three which will be the bulk of the equipment and milling construction," said Julie Maschhoff, vice president of public relations for the Carlyle-based firm.

The construction process will see Curry Ready-Mix delivering concrete continuously over an eight-day period. Construction will continue round-the-clock on the tower which Maschhoff said "will become a very visible landmark in the rural landscape."

The tower houses the batching system, pelleting system and the high-speed load-out system for the $14 million mill, which is expected to be completed by late next spring.

The Maschhoffs will partner with Griggsville-based JBS United to source up to six million bushels of corn for delivery to the new mill.

"Because the grain elevator structure itself won't be up and running, we won't be able to make feed at that location for another nine months, but we can receive corn," Maschhoff said. "It all depends on when harvest starts and the weather between now and harvest, but it certainly is our intention and goal to be able to receive corn this fall."

Feed will continue to be made at the company's existing feed mill near Pittsfield, but the new mill does expand the area's corn market.

The Maschhoffs announced plans in March for the new mill on 13 acres of farmland northeast of the Exit 35 interchange on Interstate 72 in the county's enterprise zone. The mill will mean an additional eight to 14 jobs over the next two or three years and will expand production capacity for the company which already operates a mill, the former Webel Feeds, north of Pittsfield and south of the interstate.

Work at the new site began earlier this summer with Callender Construction of Pittsfield handling excavation and site preparation. Six 250,000-bushel grain bins were built in July by Wedekempers Inc. Younglove Construction is the general contractor for the project.

The mill will produce only pelleted and ground feed for hog rations, said Aaron Gaines, vice president of production resources and operations. When fully operational, the mill will have the capacity to make 400,000 tons of feed annually.

The Maschhoffs manage one of the largest family-owned pork production networks in the nation. Dave and Karen Maschhoff and Ken and Julie Maschhoff are fifth generation family farmers who own the company. They partner with a network of more than 300 family farmers across the Midwest to produce 2.7 million pigs per year.

-- dhusar@whig.com/221-3379