West Union, IA – Fayette County Engineer J.D. King estimated Monday that the county has saved about $5,600 on stockpiling winter salt by taking advantage of a local resource: Agriprocessors Inc. kosher meatpacking plant.

The Postville plant had been disposing of used kosher salt, about 1,000 tons per year, by shipping it to Milwaukee, he said.

Earlier this summer, with the county facing a salt shortage, the roads department contacted Agriprocessors about taking the salt off the company’s hands at no cost. The county receives the used salt in tote bags that hold about a ton of salt.

About 80 tons of salt from the kosher meat packer is presently being stored at sites around the county. The salt is screened to remove any foreign matter, and then mixed with sand just like regular salt.

With road salt selling at about $70 per ton, the county has saved about $5,600, figures the engineer.

The county used 1,700 tons of salt last year.

King said he is not sure if the county will be receiving much more salt from Agriprocessors, however. The financially troubled meatpacker is now seeking bids on the product.

(Source: The Gazette Online)