PSC Issues Order Assessing Civil Penalty Against Nebraska Grain Warehouse

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    PSC ISSUES ORDER ASSESSING CIVIL PENALTY
         AGAINST NEBRASKA GRAIN WAREHOUSE

Lincoln, August 15, 2023- The Nebraska Public Service Commission
(PSC) has issued an Order (GWC-450/GW-2184) sustaining the
complaint and assessing a civil penalty of $24,100.00 against The
Andersons, Inc. of Kearney, for storing grain in an unlicensed facility
in violation of the Grain Warehouse Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 88-525
to 88-552.

In July of 2022, an inspection by the PSC of the company’s grain
warehouse in Paxton, Nebraska determined that the company was
storing grain in six grain bins not listed on the company’s grain
warehouse license.  A complaint was then a filed against Andersons
Inc., by the director of the PSC grain warehouse department alleging
the company stored grain in unapproved bins between October 2021
and July 2022.

A hearing in the matter was held in June 2023. Based on the
evidence presented at the hearing, the Commission finds that the
company stored grain in six bins which were not listed on its grain
warehouse license for its Paxton facility, in violation of Neb. Rev.
Stat. §§ 88-533.

“It is the duty of the Commission to ensure grain warehouses are
following state law,” said Commission Chair Dan Watermeier. “Even
though no losses occurred in this instance, and the company worked
with the Commission to resolve the issue their actions put producers
at risk and a civil penalty is justified.”

The Company has 30 days in which to pay the penalty or appeal the
Commission’s Order. ###

Contact:
Deb Collins- Communications & Media Mgr.
(402) 471-0226
deb.collins@nebraska.gov