HULL, Iowa - Dairy farmer Shep Ysselstein saw the need for more
dairy processing facilities in Northwest Iowa, so he decided to
address it personally.
Last fall, Ysselstein began construction of the Green Meadows
Dairy cheese and whey plant in Hull.
"There's a growing need," Ysselstein said. "I just see more
opportunities on the production side than the dairy side."
The plant is taking shape inside a former warehouse just south
of U.S. Highway 18. After refurbishing and adding onto the
building, it will cover 150,000-170,000 square feet. The plant is
on target to open late this year.
"It's moving along right on time," said Ysselstein, who has
operated Ysselstein Dairy near Hull since 1991.
Once operational, the plant will have the capacity of processing
2.5 million pounds of milk per day. Milk will come from dairy
farmers in Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota and Nebraska.
Ysselstein said his plant will be unique in that it will process
whey, a byproduct in the cheese production process. Many cheese
plants condense whey and ship it to another processor, he said.
Whey can be used in a variety of products including
pharmaceuticals, infant formula, candy bars and baked goods. It
also can be used as a milk replacer mix for cattle and pigs.
Ysselstein declined to say what his plant would process the whey
into because he didn't want to reveal any secrets to
competitors.
When completed, the plant will create 50-60 jobs, Ysselstein
said.
Once the plant is operational, Ysselstein will not have to worry
about finding a market for the cheese.
In November, Green Meadows Dairy entered into a multiyear
marketing agreement with Masters Gallery Foods, a leader in the
private label, retail and food service cheese business.
The Wisconsin-based company will by all the cheese produced by
Green Meadows.
"Our company has undergone significant growth over the past
several years, and adding Green Meadows Dairy to our list of
top-quality suppliers will help Masters Gallery Foods achieve even
greater success," Masters president Jeff Giffin said in
November.
With the construction of the processing plant, Ysselstein said
he is creating a greater economic impact in the region. He touted
studies that show dairy farming can have a greater economic
stimulus per acre of ground used than other agricultural uses,
including ethanol.
"You get way more mileage per acre of ground going the dairy
route," he said.
