Landus Cooperative has been hard at work making repairs following last May’s explosion at its Jefferson site.

On May 14, 2021, there was a dust explosion to one of its concrete silos and caused minor damage to one of its metal storage bins and some conveyors. No one was hurt in the incident and Landus was able to take in last year’s grain harvest.  

CEO Matt Carstens says since then the concrete silo where the explosion occurred has been completely demolished and the rebuild for the rail load out is currently underway.

“We should be ready to send out by rail spring of this time next year of 2023, we’ll be sending that fall harvest of this year out by rail out of Jefferson.” 

Carstens notes that while work is being done for its rail operations, grain is being transported primarily through one fashion.

“So what we’ve been doing all since fall season of 2021 is shipping the grain out by trucks. Those that live in and around the Jefferson market have seen that, which I know is a little unfortunate and our sincerest apologies to the residents around there because it’s a lot heavier truck traffic than what it is when we can do rail. But everything is going to have to leave that property from the 2021 crop by truck and we’ll have that done coming out of August and early September. And that will allow us to have the space we need for the crop that farmers are putting into the ground right now.”   

Carstens adds the repairs to the grain storage bin and conveyors that were damaged in the explosion were done last fall.