The Scoular Company selected Jerome, Idaho, as the location to manufacture a new sustainable, plant-based alternative protein made from barley. The company will build a 15,000-square-foot facility to manufacture barley protein concentrate for use in aquafeed and pet food. The building will be constructed on four acres south of Scoular’s existing livestock feed ingredients facility in Jerome. The operation is expected to create 13 jobs and will begin manufacturing in May 2021.

Scoular, based in Omaha, Nebraska, selected Jerome in south-central Idaho because of its proximity to its valued grain producer customers and end-markets for the manufactured products, said JC Olson, product group manager for Scoular. Idaho is the leading state for barley production in the United States.

Scoular’s presence in Idaho includes several grain handling facilities and the state-of-the-art livestock ingredients facility in Jerome. Initially, the new manufacturing plant is projected to process 1.9 million bushels of barley annually, with capacity projected to expand over the next several years. A high-energy liquid feed supplement for cattle feeders will be co-produced. “We look forward to making this investment in both Jerome and the state of Idaho,” Olson said. “This facility and innovative barley product will create a new market and greater stability for farmers in the Magic Valley region and throughout Idaho.”

In June, Scoular and Montana Microbial Products announced that they had entered into an exclusive licensing agreement to produce and sell the barley protein concentrate (BPC) in North America and Asia. BPC is made from non-GMO barley in a process that does not use harsh chemicals or solvents. BPC will provide a non-GMO, clean-label solution for aquaculture and pet food manufacturers seeking high-protein nutrition for their formulas.