SHELBY — The rail yard in Shelby, known also as the Port of Northern Montana, is receiving its second big expansion project since its inception 40 years ago in 1984.
The expansion project, which cost $3.6 million, will bring the rail yard to the Ardent Mills grain elevator.
Ardent Mills can now use the port to upscale the export of wheat from the ‘Golden Triangle’ within Central Montana.
“This project that’s going on right now will allow us ultimately to bring more wheat that we can then send out to our mills across North America,” said Kyle Robson, a representative of Ardent Mills.
Ardent Mills is the largest flour miller of American-grown wheat, producing 1,000 truckloads around the country per day, and have more than 40 locations.
Governor Greg Gianforte visited the mill on Wednesday afternoon, joined by MT Director of Agriculture, Christy Clark, Shelby Mayor Gary McDermott, the President of the Port of Northern Montana, Byron Kluth, among others.
All assisted in breaking ground on the project, while placing an emphasis on the need for inland ports like Shelby’s during an allotted time to speak.
“It’s particularly important that international trade be expanded because we really do feed the world from Montana. Having ports like these are incredibly important,” said Gianforte.
The project was aided by the drawing of the ‘Transportation Enhancement Bill’, written by Montana House Representative Josh Kassmier of Fort Benton.
It passed with overwhelming support, but lacked funding.
The Governor’s office was able to allocate federal ARPA funding for the funding of the expansion project.
