ST. LOUIS (AP) — A central Missouri ethanol plant is suspending production Feb. 1, saying the extended drought has made it almost impossible to get enough corn to make the alternative fuel, a plant spokesman said Friday.

POET Biorefining plans to keep its Macon facility open and all 44 employees will keep working, spokesman Matt Merritt said. The company plans to move ahead with $14.5 million in plant upgrades, and workers will use the down time to help with some of the upgrades.

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