head quartered in O’Neill, NE, announced it's plans in April of 2006 to build an ethanol plant on their acquired 140 acre site in Phelps County, Nebraska, just 2 1/2 miles Southwest of Holdrege.
              The Holdrege plant will be permitted to produce more than 100 million gallons of ethanol each year, along with 320,000 tons of dry distillers grain(a high protein cattle feed), and will consume more than 37 million bushels of corn annually.
The plant will provide 45 professional, skilled and semi-skilled employment opportunities, with compensation packages averaging $52,000.00 per year including benefits.
              The plant will pump millions of dollars into the local and area economies through higher wages, contract and sub-contract labor, sales and property tax revenue, improved infrastructure, and higher corn prices for farmers.
              Technology will be Vogelbusch and Engineering by CJ Schneider Engineering Co. out of Omaha. Both companies have recently completed Cornhusker Energy in Lexington, Nebraska.
              Phelps County Ethanol, Inc., is in process of submitting all the necessary permits utilizing the services of Olsson Associates of Holdrege,who is also handling geotechnical and materials testing.
              Ground breaking is scheduled to be late in the 4th quarter of 2006, with production slated for the 1st quarter of 2008.
              This will be the second planned plant for Midwest Ethanol Producers, Inc. They are currently in the preconstruction stages for a 100 MMGY Plant in O'Neill, Nebraska with the groundbreaking slated for July 28th, 2006.

Holt County Ethanol Inc. Announces Date For Groundbreaking Ceremony
O'Neill, Nebraska - June 28th, 2006 - Holt County Ethanol, Inc, a subsidiary of Midwest Ethanol Producers, Inc. (MEPI), has announced it's plans to break ground on it's 460 acre plant site 6 miles East of O'Neill, Nebraska on Friday, July 28th, 2006 at 5:30 P.M. with social hour beginning at 4:30. A dinner will follow the ceremony. The public, including all family members, is encouraged to attend.
              The O'Neill plant will produce more than 100 million gallons of ethanol each year, along with 350,000 tons of dry distillers grain (a high protein cattle feed), and will consume more than 37 million bushels of corn annually.
              The plant will provide 45 professional, skilled and semi-skilled employment opportunities, with compensation packages averaging $52,000.00 per year including benefits.
The plant will pump millions of dollars into the local and area economies through higher wages, contract and sub-contract labor, sales and property tax revenue, improved infrastructure, and higher corn prices for farmers.
              Technology will be Vogelbusch and Engineering by CJ Schneider Engineering Co. out of Omaha. Both companies have recently completed Cornhusker Energy in Lexington, Nebraska.
              Aventine Renewable Energy, Inc. has been chosen to handle the ethanol marketing duties, while Olsson Associates will take care of the geotechnical, railroad design, natural gas supply, and materials testing.
Production is slated for the 4th quarter of 2007.

Soil work begins for Holt County Ethanol plant
O’Neill, NE — Holt County Ethanol, Inc., began construction of its $140 million dry grain ethanol production plant this week as workmen began taking soil borings at the proposed site of the facility that will produce more than 100 million gallons of the fuel additive annually.
Fifty-one soil samplings will be taken up to 60 feet deep from the 460-acre property by Olsson Associates, a Lincoln Nebraska company that specializes in drilling into soil for major construction projects.
“We must make sure the soil will hold the weight of the plant and its equipment,” said Kurt Bravo, CFO of Holt County Ethanol. He said the sandy soil at the site is ideal for construction