OMAHA — Gavilon Liberty Grain, L.L.C. has opened a high-speed grain and dry fertilizer shuttle facility in Kimball, S.D. The grain facility, Gavilon’s first in South Dakota, will handle corn, soybeans, milo and wheat, and the fertilizer facility will distribute urea, monoammonium phosphate and potash. Gavilon unloaded its first unit train of fertilizer at the site in October.

“We look forward to offering producers a local, competitive alternative in this important agricultural state,” said Jim Anderson, chief operating officer of agriculture at Gavilon. “South Dakota is a fast-growing production area, helped by advances in hybrids, production practices and higher commodity prices, and utilizes the most urea in the United States. We look forward to accommodating this growth and helping producers maximize their margins.”

The site includes a 2.2-million-bu, upright concrete grain elevator, a 42,000-ton dry fertilizer facility and a 1.5-mile loop track large enough to accommodate 125 cars. The Dakota Southern Railroad, which will service the shuttle facility, recently was upgraded to handle unit trains.