High Plains Bioenergy, a joint venture between Seaboard Foods and Oklahoma City-based Musket Corporation, held its grand opening ceremony April 24 in Guymon, Oklahoma. Seaboard Foods President Rod Brenneman said the biodiesel plant is currently producing more than 60,000 gallons of fuel each day and will produce 30 million gallons annually at full capacity.

"We’re committed to sustainable business practices and the biodiesel plant represents this commitment well," he said.

"This was an opportunity for Seaboard Foods to add value to a product and further diversify our operation. The result is more jobs and new opportunities for Guymon and the state of Oklahoma."

Porking Good Fuel Source

Pork fat, a relatively low-value byproduct of Seaboard’s Guymon processing facility, is remarkably efficient as a source of biodiesel. High Plains Bioenergy says one gallon of biodiesel can be made from every gallon of pork fat. Glycerin, a high value component used in a variety of products ranging from cosmetics to soaps feeds is a byproduct of the biodiesel manufacturing process.

The plant was the result of Seaboard employees experimenting with ways to add value to pork fat. Brenneman said the first batch of biodiesel from Seaboard Foods was actually made in someone’s garage.

"That experiment led us to spend $40-plus million for a biodiesel plant," he said to laughter during the grand opening.

The partnership with the Musket Corp. was necessary "because we did not want to market or distribute biodiesel," Brenneman added.

"We have no experience there and Musket is very successful both nationally and internationally. It’s a terrific partnership."

Co-operation Praised

Terry Peach, State Secretary of Agriculture, praised the partnership saying it shows what the state can accomplish when industries work together.

"When Governor Henry first took office he challenged everyone in his administration to find ways to bring everyone in all our industries together and find common ground to improve not only our state’s economy but our quality of life," Peach said.

"High Plains Bioenergy is the perfect example of our state’s two leading industries, agriculture and energy, to come together and create this tremendous asset to Oklahoma."