- Business
- Lake Area Corn Processors, LLC (LKCRU) owns and operates an ethanol production facility through its wholly owned subsidiary Dakota Ethanol, LLC, focusing on the manufacture and marketing of fuel-grade ethanol and related co-products; the company produces approximately 100 million gallons of ethanol annually, along with distillers grains utilized as animal feed supplements for dairy, poultry, swine, and beef industries, and corn oil employed in animal feed, industrial applications, and biodiesel production. Headquartered in Wentworth, South Dakota, where the plant is located, Lake Area Corn Processors was established in the early 2000s and primarily serves customers across North America, sourcing corn from regional grower-owners under a cooperative model that emphasizes supply chain stability and sustainable agriculture. The company maintains equity investments in ethanol production ventures, including Guardian Hankinson, LLC and Ring-neck Energy & Feed, LLC, diversifying its operations within the renewable fuels sector. Recent developments include receipt of USDA Biofuel Producer Program payments totaling $2.96 million in 2023 and $1.2 million in 2022 to offset pandemic-related market losses, alongside a June 2022 precedent agreement with Northern Natural Gas Company for the West Let 2023 Expansion to support operational enhancements, and ongoing emphasis on low carbon intensity initiatives through partnerships like the American Coalition for Ethanol's Regional Conservation Partnership Program.