PRECISION PLANTING is a key concept for modern farmers and Prolime, a company committed to creating pellet-sized lime from spent lime leftover from area wastewater treatment plants, is the first facility in the state to offer this product throughout the mid-Michigan area and beyond. A groundbreaking ceremony for phase one of construction of a 16,500 square-foot building took place on Monday, Oct. 9 at the Prolime location on Beard Rd., Laingsburg.
Prolime owner Bob Rogers shared his enthusiasm for the “high calcium, low magnesium, fast-acting” product he is making. He is hopeful that Prolime will be “up and running” come mid-spring next year. The raw lime product, or spent lime, goes through a process where a binding agent (from tree sap) is added to the lime powder base and then eventually heated to form these pellets for farmers to utilize in the precision planting process. Essentially, there is less waste for the farmers since they do not have to condition an entire field – just the row in which particular crops are planted. Pellet-sized lime is a closed-loop production system, meaning there is no leftover waste.
Gathered above were (from left) Jeff Bartz, Colleen Dell, Duane Wood (slightly hidden), county commissioners Dan McMasters, Jeremy Root, and Brandon Marks, President/Wolverine Sign Works Paul Cook, State Rep. Ben Frederick, Prolime owner Bob Rogers, manager Jason Rogers, SEDP President/CEO Justin
Horvath, Owosso Mayor Pro Tem Sue Osika, and Kathryn Burkholder from Consumers Energy.
State Rep. Ben Frederick took a moment to express his thoughts, “We love to see more agricultural processing efforts in the county. I applaud that.”
Sue Osika, speaking on behalf of Owosso Mayor Chris Eveleth, shared that Owosso “is behind Prolime
100 percent.”
(Courtesy Photo)
Precision Planting was last modified: October 16th, 2017 by
