Rail lines across northeastern North Dakota are moving millions of bushels of wheat each year as CHS and Ardent Mills work together to connect farmer-owned grain supplies with domestic flour markets and evolving consumer demand.

In Drayton, North Dakota, shuttle trains carrying as many as 116 rail cars are loaded with about 420,000 bushels of grain per train. The CHS ag retail business units in Drayton and Devils Lake operate seven shuttle elevators that ship approximately 34 million bushels of hard red spring wheat annually. About half of those rail cars are filled with hard red spring wheat, much of it bound for Ardent Mills flour milling facilities across the United States.

Hard red spring wheat is valued for its high protein content, which provides the elasticity needed for products such as bread and pizza dough.

Ardent Mills, North America's largest wheat miller, is jointly owned by Conagra Brands, Cargill and CHS. The company operates nearly three dozen facilities processing traditional and organic grains from Washington to Massachusetts and from Saskatchewan to Puerto Rico.

The ownership connection gives CHS access to a consistent source of demand for grain produced by its cooperative farmer-owners while providing greater visibility into customer needs for wheat quality, timing and volume. In turn, Ardent Mills benefits from the reach of the cooperative system and its connections with growers across major wheat-producing regions.

While flour remains the company's primary business, Ardent Mills is also expanding its focus on specialty grains and ingredients through its Emerging Nutrition portfolio. The initiative targets growing demand for foods made with alternative grains and pulses, including chickpeas, lentils, sorghum and flax, while also supporting growers interested in organic production.

Recent investments include the acquisition of Stone Mill, a specialty grain cleaning facility in Richardton, North Dakota, that connects chickpea and lentil growers in the Pacific Northwest with domestic and international markets, as well as an organic grain elevator in Klamath Falls, Oregon.

The company also is investing in advanced milling capabilities for alternative grains and pulses to broaden the range of products available to food manufacturers.

At the same time, Ardent Mills continues to expand its traditional flour operations. The company is increasing capacity at its Commerce City, Colorado, facility and recently opened a flour mill near Tampa, Florida, capable of producing 1.8 million pounds of flour each day.

Company officials said consumer demand continues to support both traditional wheat products and nutrient-dense food ingredients, creating opportunities for growers who produce conventional wheat as well as specialty and organic crops.

Source: CHS Inc., "Ardent Mills connects growers to changing consumer demand"