Production Capacity Up 23 percent since 2014
A recent impact study by University of Nebraska-Lincoln economists reveals that the ethanol industry in Nebraska continues to be an economic driver with 2.558 billion gallons per year capacity as of 2017, with 1,453 full-time employees at 24 facilities. These figures represent an increase of 481 million gallons annually and an additional 152 full-time employees compared to 2014.
These additional jobs reflect the ethanol industry’s substantial and continued annual impact on the local labor market. In 2016, the total labor income impact – including direct and indirect jobs – was $275 million earned from an estimated 3,509 jobs for average annual earnings of $78,300. Ethanol plant jobs provide significantly higher-wages compared to other manufacturing positions and are uniquely located in rural communities.