Two months into their membership drive, the Western Pasta Producers have signed up over 800 farmers - or around one million acres of production - for their value-added venture.

Western Pasta Growers are a group of local farmers, business people and city representatives pursuing a durum mill and pasta plant for Weyburn.

They plan to form a new generation co-operative that would see shareholders deliver durum to their own plant to be processed into pasta.

They are selling memberships for $25 a piece. The memberships guarantee investment opportunity once the co-op is established. Members are also provided information on the progress of Western Pasta.

So far progress is right on target, says chairman Orlin Hector.

"Our original goal was to have 2,000 members, so we're 40 per cent of the way," he said. "We're pretty pleased with that. We'd like to have 1,000 members before we stop for seeding."

The Western Pasta board has been getting some help from enthusiastic supporters who are taking membership applications and going into their communities to get more farmers on board. Hector is meeting with these supporters today to listen to their suggestions and exchange ideas.

Over the course of 15 meetings in various locations throughout Saskatchewan, Hector says producers have been supportive of a Weyburn location for the plant.

"There isn't a lot of resistance to the location, even when we get far away," he said. "But there are a lot of questions when we get farther north about milling spring wheat into flour and frozen dough products."

Hector says for now, Western Pasta is focusing on their 2,000-membership goal, despite phone calls from consultants, engineers and construction crews anxious for them to take the project to the next level.

"I'm getting calls from all over the country, but we're really not ready for that yet. It's so easy to jump to the next step but we agree our membership drive is something we don't want to move away from," said Hector. "Our top priority still has to remain staying committed with membership. If we do that our chances for success are great."

The Western Pasta plan is to enter the market through a strategic alliance with an existing pasta player, then build a durum mill and pasta plant in Weyburn.