MILLERTON, IOWA, US — A new shuttle loader facility being built by Heartland Co-op on the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) network in Millerton, Iowa, is expected to be operational by late 2025 or early 2026, providing regional grain producers with greater market access.
Several UP teams are collaborating on the project to ensure Heartland Co-op can begin shipping from the new site as soon as possible, including operating, marketing and sales, service design, network economic and industrial development, real estate, and public projects.
“We appreciate Heartland Co-op investing in our railroad for the long term,” said Ryan Raess, general director, marketing and sales. “This enables us to support the growing market in south-central Iowa and strengthen our grain origination base.”
Heartland Co-op, based in West Des Moines, Iowa, is a full-service cooperative with 71 locations across the state. With 164.8 million bushels of licensed grain storage, Heartland Co-op is No. 10 among North American grain handlers as listed in Soland Publishing Co.’s 2024 Grain & Milling Annual.
“We’re excited to develop this project alongside Union Pacific,” said Tom Hauschel, chief executive officer and general manager of Heartland Co-op. “Union Pacific’s trust in our ability to create a state-of-the-art facility and be a strong long-term partner is greatly appreciated.”
Union Pacific transports about 1.3 billion bushels of grain annually, with exports accounting for 30% to 40% of those shipments. The railroad serves most of the US major grain markets, connecting the Midwest and Western production areas to export terminals in the Pacific Northwest and Gulf Coast, as well as Mexico. Union Pacific also serves significant domestic markets, including grain processors, animal feeders and ethanol producers in the Midwest and West.
