AURORA, Neb. (AP) — A company executive says a better market has led to the reopening of an ethanol plant in south-central Nebraska.

Aventine Renewable Energy Inc. has reopened its Vogelbusch Nebraska Energy LLC plant in Aurora. It’s been sitting idle since 2012.

Aventine President and CEO Mark Beemer told The Grand Island Independent that the reopening was a result of the market. Corn prices have been hovering around $3.50 a bushel, compared with nearly $8 a bushel in August 2012.

Beemer says “we decided to restart it due to the positive ethanol margin environment.”

Pekin, Illinois-based Aventine has plants in Pekin and Dayton in Illinois and has another, larger plant in Aurora.