Drought having impact on area grain elevators

CREATED Aug. 18, 2012

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The construction boom in recent years at grain elevators across the Great Plains has been slowed, but not stopped, by the deepening drought.

McPherson Concrete Storage Systems Inc. in McPherson builds concrete silos across the Midwest. It says it has not had any cancellations.

The company is now booked until late fall or early winter with work. That compares to a couple of years ago, when at this time it was booked well into spring.

Among its customers is the Pawnee County Co-op Association in Larned, which built 1.8 million bushels of new storage at its four locations. The co-op says it plans to still add more storage.

The Kansas Feed and Grain Association says the drought will have an economic impact, but the elevator industry will survive.