b'Port Milwaukee works on present, plans for futurePORT MILWAUKEE WORKS ON PRESENT, PLANS FOR FUTUREResiliency and reinvestment are key to Port Milwaukees operating strategy.By Tad Thompson, AJOTAugust 29, 2022Published originally in AJOT Issue #744A dam Tindall-Schlicht, director of Port Milwaukee, hasbyproduct, creating a highly desirable, high-nutrient food for developed immediate trade growth, while also planning forlivestock worldwide.this Wisconsin facility to be the Great Lakes premiere port forMilwaukees new ag facility will open Wisconsins maritime the next 50 years. and agricultural economies to new international markets for this Developing ag exports and other products.Tindall-Schlicht said DDGs shipped from his port is sourced In 2019, Port Milwaukee was among the first ports tofrom ethanol plants in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota. Key receive a $16 million Port Infrastructure Development Programglobal markets for DDGs are in northern and western Europe, grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritimenorth Africa, and Mediterranean Basin countries.Administration. Future service at the facility will also include the export of For Port Milwaukee, this partially funds a new $35 millionWisconsin-grown soybeans, corn, and grain.agriculture export facility. Construction started in 2021 and willPlanning for the next 50 yearsbe fully operational by the summer of 2023. In August, Tindall-Schlicht reported that the construction was on budget and onTindall-Schlicht, whos served as Port Milwaukees time. director since August 2018, said the port has worked in that Beyond the federal grant, this future facilitys fundingtime on a strategy to implement all necessary upgrades and came from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Portenhancements for Milwaukee to be the Great Lakes premiere Milwaukee, and The DeLong Company, Inc. port through 2070.DeLongs participation makes this a public-privateThis long-term strategy is tabbed the Capital Asset Renewal investment project, which is expected to increase MilwaukeesPlan. The plan outlines the $200 million in needed investment ag exports by 400,000 metric tons annually, according to Tindall- over time to boost infrastructure thats been in place since the Schlicht. 1950s, at the time of the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway.Based in Clifton, WI, DeLong is a sixth-generationFor the last four years weve focused on renewal and agribusiness firm, with six divisions: agronomy, grain andreinvention, looking for opportunities that will help lay the transportation. groundwork for the next generations at the port, said Tindall-The new agricultural export facility, according to the port,Schlicht.will be one of the first on the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence SeawayPort Milwaukee is reinvesting for future commercial system to handle various agricultural commodities by truck, rail,expansion, while exploring and pursuing new uses of the port.and international vessel. Foremost among the commodities isThe recent push has involved some demolition of facilities dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGs). DDGs are an ethanolthat were underutilized for 20 years and using that real estate to 10'