Scott Nelson of Integral Fish Foods, recently purchased by Bell, will be the head of operations for the mill. Scott brings 30 years of experience in fish feed production, and will provide Bell with the expertise to produce feeds specific to fish species and key periods in the life cycle of the fish, reports Indiana Ag Connection.
The mill is expected to begin production this April with a production capacity of 2.2 million pounds per month, sourcing 50-60 per cent of ingredients locally.
"Our mill will benefit the county and the state by providing jobs and increasing demand for locally produced soybeans and grains, while also providing feed to support the growing local aquaculture industry," said Norman McCowan, President & CEO of Bell Aquaculture.
The mill is expected to generate up to 25 new jobs over the next 36 months, while reducing the need for local aquaculture industry to source feed from remote locations, thereby completing a cycle of sustainable aquaculture for local supply and demand.
When asked how the mill would affect local soybean farmers, ISA President Dave Lowe commented: "The opportunity for aquaculture is immense. We have needed this mill in Indiana to have the ability to source feed locally for quite some time. There are thousands of tons of ingredients for feed within a very short distance of Bell. It is time that the general population, counties and state benefit from the tax base and revenue stream that this mill will provide."
In 2005, Bell Aquaculture was founded in Redkey, Ind., as a solution to a problem - the fish in Lake Michigan were contaminated. Bell has invested $20+ million in an aquaculture research and development center and built a state-of-the-aquaculture facility located in rural Indiana, USA to provide a toxin-free supply of fish to meet the demand. Bell offers trout, salmon, perch, feed and fertilizers that are derived from fish to contribute to the life cycle of humans and fish - part of our broader philosophy to use all that is available to us to benefit to humanity and our planet.
