Gov. Heineman Awards $400,000 Community Development
Block Grant to South Sioux City

(Lincoln, Neb.) Gov. Dave Heineman announced South Sioux City will receive $400,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to help Specialty Protein Producers LLC start up a soybean protein extraction plant. The project will result in at least 60 new jobs.

“I toured this operation as construction on the new building was being completing this summer,” Gov. Heineman said. “This company is a great addition to the food processing sector that continues to grow in northeast Nebraska. We are delighted to be the home of a company that is advancing the science of food production and providing valuable jobs for Nebraskans.”

The company will use nearly $408,000 to purchase machinery and equipment for its Green Planet Farms operation in South Sioux City, where high quality proteins will be extracted from organic soy flour and organic soybeans. The company markets the soy proteins for a range of food products including: nutritional bars, coffee creamers, baked goods, cereals, meat substitutes, health supplements, and other organic food products.

The grant will be combined with approximately $92,000 in funds that were repaid to the city from a previous CDBG project. Specialty Protein Producers has also been award an $810,000 loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help purchase equipment for the facility.

The company began scouting locations in 2006 looking for potential sites near existing organic soybean growers and milling operations. Nebraska was one of three states considered for the project. Key factors cited for locating in the state and South Sioux City included quality local infrastructure, the low cost of acquiring land, local and state incentives and interest from potential investors.

CDBG funding comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help states support business and community development projects. The program is administered by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.