Ceremonial Groundbreaking for Dairy Processing Plant Held at Seward Rail Park

Jun 20, 2025

By Naomi Delkamiller

In an open field near Seward, five full-sized shovels and one child-sized one rested in front of a makeshift stage, waiting as more than 60 guests gathered around on a humid Wednesday afternoon.

Gov. Jim Pillen joined state and local leaders and Nebraska’s dairy industry to break ground on a $165 million dairy processing plant north of Seward. The plant is expected to create 75 new jobs, increasing the state’s dairy workforce, and is projected to process 1.8 million pounds of milk a day.

The 236,000 square-foot facility is being built by Dari Processing of Rising City — a fourth-generation dairy company run by the Tuls family. It will be the company’s first major dairy processing plant and Nebraska’s sixth. Construction will take 18 months to complete, according to a company spokesperson.

Co-owner of Dari Processing, Todd Tuls, said the company presented plans for the processing plant to other states and explored four or five different cities in Nebraska, but landed on Seward.

“Seward actually had the best campus, and they also just really did the diligent work on recruiting us,” Tuls said.

Dari Processing purchased the 38-acre parcel from the city for just under $1 million in 2024. It will be the first dairy processing facility to be built from the ground up in Nebraska since 1963, according to the Nebraska State Dairy Association.

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Video: You Be The Judge: Evaluating 8 Breeding Rams!

It's time for some honest feedback here at Ewetopia Farms! Today, we’re showing you all eight rams we used for breeding this year. Instead of just presenting them, we thought it would be fun to create a “Ram Report Card” — where we point out both their strengths and areas for improvement.

But here’s the twist: you be the judge! In the comments, let us know what you like about each ram and what you think could be improved. No ram is ever perfect, but every one of them brings something valuable to the flock. By sharing perspectives, we all learn more about what to look for in good breeding stock.

At Ewetopia Farms, we raise registered Suffolk and Polled Dorset sheep, focusing on high-quality genetics, structure, and friendly temperaments. Evaluating breeding rams is part of the bigger picture of building stronger flocks — and we’re excited to share the process with you.

If you enjoy seeing how we evaluate our animals, follow along by subscribing to our channel. We share daily insights into the joys and challenges of sheep farming here in Canada.