Noble County, Indiana
The Noble County, Indiana BDO Zone for Corn Stover is rated ‘A’.
Rating Issue Date: July 9, 2026.
'A' ratings denote high prospective viability of Feedstock Supply and Infrastructure and low expectations of default risk in the Zone. Capacity to support new biobased plant operations is considered strong.
Noble County, IN, BDO Zone Overview
Feedstock quantities are expressed in bone dry tons per year (bdt/yr), while feedstock costs are expressed in USD ($). Maximum transport distance is based on a 75-mi driving distance from the center point (Ligonier, IN).
BDO Zone Assets
- Very low current demand for corn stover.
- Large supply redundancy indicates that haul distances could be minimized.
- Consistent regional demand for corn grain from network of ethanol production facilities and livestock operations.
- Parcels at Ligonier Industrial Park available with electric, natural gas, water, wastewater, and fiber-optic connections and services.
BDO Zone Liabilities
- Time window for baling operations is typically less than 25 days.
- Baling is unlikely to occur on many farms during years with high fall precipitation.
- Potential competition for regional trucking capacity during fall harvest period.
- Significant CAPEX investment required for baling, trucking, and storage, unless a third-party baling and trucking company engaged.
Infrastructure
- Location: West Perry Road, Ligonier, IN; served directly by US Highway 6 & Indiana State Road 5
- Site Size: 10 contiguous acres (industrial zoning)
- Availability: Vacant, farmed land; $17,500/acre, negotiable.
- Overview: Shovel-ready site; full utilities available roadside; rail and air access; abundant feedstock; located within a platted industrial park and a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District.
- Infrastructure:
- Electric: Noble REMC — 12.47 kV three-phase power; nearest substation located 5 miles from site (Contact: Kevin Dreibelbis, kevin.dreibelbis@nobleremc.com)
- Natural Gas: NIPSCO — 4-inch natural gas line (Contact: Dana Berkes, dberkes@nisource.com)
- Water: City of Ligonier — 10-inch water line (Contact: Jeff Boyle, water@ligonier-in.gov)
- Wastewater: City of Ligonier — 10-inch sewer line (Contact: Jeff Boyle, water@ligonier-in.gov)
- Fiber: Lig-Tel — fiberoptic internet service accessible in the park, up to 1 Gig symmetrical (Contact: Mike Troup, mike@ligtel.net)
- Transportation Access:
- US Highway 6 & Indiana State Road 5 directly serve the park; I-80/90 (~22 miles); I-69 (~37 miles)
- Norfolk Southern (Class I) rail runs north of and through the park, but the site has no active spur and is not currently rail-served
- Fort Wayne International Airport (~35 miles S/E); Goshen Municipal Airport (~12-14 miles)
- Setting: Platted industrial park in Noble County within a TIF District, with strong regional highway access and Class I rail service to the park (though no on-site spur).
- Site Contact:
- Tara Streb, Interim Executive Director, Be Noble Inc. | 260-636-3800 | tara@noblecountyedc.com
Local Grants and Incentives
Noble County and its towns and cities join the State of Indiana in offering incentives to encourage new business expansions, to retain existing jobs, attract new businesses, and support entrepreneurs. Several Tax Increment Finance (TIF) Districts exist across the county, enabling continuous re-investment in infrastructure and improvements.
Noble County is rare among local economic development organizations for the creation of the Investment Trust Fund (ITF), which allows the investment of County Economic Development Income Tax (CEDIT) dollars into projects that support the mission to ensure a thriving economy.
- Ranked #4 in the nation for concentration of employment in manufacturing
- Located in one of the Top 5 States in the US for Business
- Unparalleled and robust workforce development system
- Entrepreneur-friendly! 80% of establishments are small businesses
- Exceptional outdoor amenities and a great quality of life
