WATCH: Farmers Fight Through Adversity to Build Massive Cotton Gin in Tom Green County

The first cotton module to be processed in the new gin belongs to Lonnie Kellermeier.  He was part of the leadership team that merged the two cooperatives and designed the new gin.  

Kellermeier passed away suddenly in June of 2020 and the first run was dedicated to him.  

The Lone Star Farmers Coop gin has state of the art equipment and has room to expand to three times its current size in the same building.  

Gin general manager Paul Schwertner said Friday "the nominal capacity of this gin (now) is 40 bales per hour."  Schwertner says they only have about 1/3 of the equipment that will eventually be in the building.  

Below are some photos from the gin Friday. 

Construction on the massive cotton gin was disrupted in May 2020 when a tornado destroyed the partially built structure. 

Area farmers held back 87 cotton modules from the fall 2020 crop specifically to run through the new and modern facility.  

Schwertner said they would continue to operate the gins in Miles and Mereta for the time being in addition to the Lone Star Farmers Coop gin. 

San Angelo Mayor Brenda Gunter attended the ceremony and thanked the farmers for being such a major part of the local economy.  Tom Green County Judge Steve Floyd was also on hand as well as leaders from the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce.  

Schwertner said they will gin the 87 bales of cotton in the coming weeks to adjust the new ginning equipment.