2025 Norfolk Southern Thoroughbred Safety Award highlights Didion’s commitment to rail safety, ethanol transportation, local agriculture, and renewable fuel production in Cambria, Wisconsin.
Railcars pick up ethanol at Didion’s Cambria facility, where Wisconsin-grown corn is used to make food ingredients and renewable fuel.
Every safe ethanol shipment from Didion starts long before a railcar leaves Cambria. It begins with team members who prepare, inspect, load, and double-check the details that help protect people, communities, customers, and critical supply chains.
Didion has earned the 2025 Norfolk Southern Thoroughbred Safety Award, recognizing customers that safely transported or originated shipments on Norfolk Southern’s rail network without a rail-shipment incident. For Didion, the honor reflects the daily care behind safe ethanol transportation from its headquarters in Cambria, Wisconsin.
The ethanol shipped from Cambria is part of Didion’s integrated approach to using the whole corn kernel. Corn grown primarily by Wisconsin producers is first transformed into food ingredients, and the parts of the kernel not used for food products are repurposed at the company’s co-located Didion Bioscience facility. There, they become a home-grown, 100% renewable energy source that supports local agriculture and helps fuel communities.
The annual Norfolk Southern award honors organizations that demonstrate exceptional care and consistency when handling hazardous materials. Safe rail transportation is especially important for ethanol shipments, helping protect the people, businesses, and communities located along every mile of track.
“This distinction underscores a shared commitment to safety, reliability, and precision in how critical materials move across our network. We are proud to partner with organizations that lead with accountability and strengthen the essential supply chains that power our economy.” — Ed Elkins, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Norfolk Southern
At Didion, the work behind each shipment is carried out by team members who prepare, inspect, and load ethanol railcars before they leave the company’s Cambria facility. Their attention to detail supports safe movement across Norfolk Southern’s network and reflects Didion’s broader commitment to operational excellence.
“Safety is built into every step of the process,” said Riley Didion, CEO at Didion. “This recognition is a direct reflection of the focus, discipline, and care our teams bring to their work every day.”
This is not the first time Didion has earned the distinction. Didion previously received the Norfolk Southern Thoroughbred Safety Award in 2018 and 2023, demonstrating a long-standing commitment to safe ethanol transportation, rail safety, and responsible operations.
The achievement was made possible through the efforts of many team members across the organization, with special recognition to Didion’s Ethanol Loadout team and the leaders who support their work. Their commitment to procedures, high standards, and safe operations helps ensure every shipment is prepared with care.
Every safe shipment supports Didion’s purpose to Feed and Fuel the World by helping move essential food ingredients and renewable fuel products reliably, responsibly, and safely.
