OMAHA (DTN) -- A San Francisco-based company is starting construction on a plant that will make competitively priced nitrogen fertilizer from corn cobs and other nonfood biomass. The company, SynGest, Inc., said its first manufacturing plant, being constructed near Menlo, Iowa, will make anhydrous ammonia fertilizer aimed at local farm markets.

"Our product should be available at a lower price or at least competitive with today's current market," at between $300 to $400 per ton, said Jack Oswald, SynGest president.

The Menlo facility will have 30,000 tons of storage. Fertilizer retailers would purchase and haul anhydrous directly from the plant. ...