Why Louisiana Urgently Needs The Greenfield Wallace Facility
By: Dr. Mike Strain, DVM
Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry
Louisiana stands on the brink of a significant economic opportunity—one that promises to reinforce our leading role in global agriculture while profoundly benefiting local communities. The proposed Greenfield Wallace Grain Export Facility is poised to enhance the Port of South Louisiana, increasing its already dominant status in grain exports by approximately 10%. This isn’t just growth; it’s transformational change that secures our agricultural future and bolsters our national food security.
However, this project, crucial for our state and the nation, faces delays that have rippling consequences. Extended federal permitting processes are more than just bureaucratic hurdles—they directly harm our farmers and the agricultural community across the country. Every day we do not advance, our farmers endure lost opportunities and decreased revenue, hindering their ability to compete in a fiercely global market.
Imagine a facility that not only promises to improve market access for our agricultural products, but also enriches the local environment and community by integrating sustainable agricultural practices and offering educational and employment opportunities. Unlike any other industrial facility in its vicinity, the Greenfield Wallace facility is designed to be a state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly installation. Residents of St. John the Baptist Parish will benefit from a project that prioritizes sustainable practices and minimal environmental impact, setting a new standard for industrial operations in our region.
The Greenfield Wallace facility is more than an economic asset. It is a critical infrastructure designed to propel the United States to the forefront of global grain exportation. By increasing our export capacity, this facility will ensure that American farmers can efficiently feed people worldwide, enhancing our global competitiveness and contributing to worldwide food security.
This project represents a beacon of innovation and efficiency in agricultural exports, featuring advanced technologies and streamlined processes that reduce waste and increase yield. With it, we can significantly enhance the economic viability of farms across Louisiana and beyond, supporting not just farming operations but the economies of entire communities that depend on agriculture. Greenfield has already purchased older facilities upriver and is making them more environmentally neutral; this increases competition for farmers’ yields, positively impacting those families’ bottom lines. The potential benefits extend beyond our borders, reinforcing the United States’ position as a global leader in agricultural exports.
Yet, we are at a standstill, hindered by a protracted permitting process that threatens to diminish these benefits. This delay sends a concerning signal about our ability to support essential sectors and execute critical infrastructure projects. It is imperative for all stakeholders involved—government agencies, environmental authorities, and community leaders—to expedite the permitting process for the Greenfield Wallace facility. We must align our actions with our economic and strategic priorities to make this vision a reality.
We can no longer afford delays. Every moment we wait, our farmers face uncertainty, and our nation misses out on essential economic opportunities. We must cut through the red tape that binds the hands of our farmers and jeopardizes our agricultural future. Supporting the rapid development of the Greenfield Wallace grain export facility is not just an investment in infrastructure; it is an investment in our state’s, our nation’s, and our world’s future.
As a result, I intend to reach out to my counterparts in the several states whose agricultural output flows down the Mississippi- and to the world - from as far north as Minnesota and Wisconsin, and east to Ohio and Pennsylvania, to enlist their support in this fight. These unnecessary permitting hurdles are not just a problem for Louisiana; they threaten the economic viability of our entire nation.