Sioux Falls, SD, Friday, March 19, 2004 - The Broin Companies are pleased to announce the Grand Opening of Otter Creek Ethanol, LLC in Ashton, IA. Otter Creek Ethanol, producing 45 million gallons per year of ethanol, will be the third ethanol plant the Broin Companies of Sioux Falls, SD have developed, designed, engineered, built and constructed in the state of Iowa.

The Grand Opening will take place at the plant site near Ashton, IA on March 26, 2004. Public tours will begin at 10:00 AM and continue until 1:00 PM. Lunch will be served from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM. The Grand Opening program will take place from 1:00 PM until 2:00 PM followed by public tours until 4:00 PM. Parking will be available in Sibley at the Super Foods Lot, Sheldon at the Community Center and in Ashton at the Catholic Church parking lot. Buses will run continuously to and from the plant. No parking will be allowed at the plant site.

“Otter Creek Ethanol is our 18th ethanol project overall. It is creating a new market for area corn growers and providing highly technical, good paying jobs,” said Jeff Broin, C.E.O. of the Broin Companies. “The Broin Companies are excited to bring this world-class facility to Ashton. This plant will be a catalyst for millions of dollars in new economic growth for the region.”

Ethanol production by Otter Creek Ethanol will consume over 16 million bushels of corn from the regional area, improving the local corn basis while providing an environmentally friendly fuel and a valuable high quality Dakota Gold PlusTM brand livestock feed for local, regional and national markets.

“The cooperation from Osceola County and the entire region has been phenomenal. Everyone at Otter Creek is looking forward to creating a positive economic impact on the community and providing an alternative marketing strategy for area corn producers,” said Dean Van Riesen, General Manager of Otter Creek Ethanol. “Our working partnership with the Broin Companies gives us the ability to provide a technologically-advanced, value-added agricultural business for the region.”

Otter Creek Ethanol will produce 45 million gallons of ethanol annually and is the 18th ethanol plant built by the Broin Companies, who began building ethanol plants in 1983. The company has built plants in 5 states and provides turnkey development, design/build, management and product marketing services with their partner facilities.