MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, US — Cargill has announced plans to invest more than $50 million to build a corn syrup refinery in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

“As the global population continues to grow, the demand for corn syrup continues to grow, especially given its important functional benefits in products ranging from infant formula to confection,” said Mike Wagner, managing director of Cargill’s starches, sweeteners and texturizers business in North America. “Adding this new corn syrup refinery further fortifies our supply network and ensures customers can continue counting on Cargill to be a reliable source of this sought-after ingredient.”

The new refinery will utilize technology and processes to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, the company said. Cargill’s Fort Dodge facility is powered by the MidAmerican Energy electrical grid, which is made up of more than 88% renewable sources. The combination of this electrical grid with the new corn syrup production process will reduce CO₂ emissions by nearly 50% compared to typical production methods, according to the company.

“This new refinery is the latest example of how Cargill is working to lower our environmental impact across operations using advanced technology to minimize our carbon footprint,” said Sydney Pokorny, facility manager at the Cargill Fort Dodge biotechnology campus. 

Cargill said the facility will be operational by mid-2024.