Cairnspring Mills and CTUIR open Blue Mountain Mill

Cairnspring Mills and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) have celebrated the opening of the Blue Mountain Mill near Pendleton, Oregon. The 27,000-square-foot stone mill facility, located at the Coyote Business Park, is a joint venture involving a 50-year land lease and a $5 million investment from CTUIR, marking the tribe’s first equity stake in a private business.

The new facility is expected to begin commercial operations in mid-November. It will significantly expand Cairnspring Mills’ annual capacity from 8 million pounds to over 115 million pounds. This expansion allows the company to focus on high-volume hard red wheat at the new site, while its original mill in Burlington, Washington, can specialize in niche flour varieties.

The project aims to strengthen the regional grain economy by connecting Pacific Northwest farmers to larger markets. At full capacity, the mill is expected to source wheat from approximately 60,000 acres, generating over $22 million annually for regional farmers and creating more than 22 local living-wage jobs.