Quad County Ethanol Plant Faces Auction After Foreclosure Judgment

The Quad County Corn Processors ethanol plant near Galva will soon be up for sale after a lender-ordered auction. The plant, which was idled in December 2024 following a mechanical failure, has been facing financial and regulatory challenges.

Lincoln Savings Bank obtained a foreclosure judgment of roughly $19 million against Quad County and is now conducting the auction through Maas Companies. Sealed bids are due by 4 p.m. on September 29, with potential buyers able to submit offers for individual properties or the entire package.

The main plant site includes about 31 acres, ethanol production equipment, rolling stock, and grain storage capacity of approximately 3.7 million bushels. The auction also includes a separate parcel along US Highway 20, Quad County's corporate office building in downtown Galva, and a transload rail facility in Cherokee.

The company has faced regulatory challenges in the past, including a settlement with the EPA and US Department of Justice requiring them to retire over 438,000 renewable fuel credits and pay a $320,000 civil penalty over alleged Renewable Fuel Standard violations.