<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001193125-16-420724.txt : 20160105
<SEC-HEADER>0001193125-16-420724.hdr.sgml : 20160105
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20160105094133
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001193125-16-420724
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	8-K
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20160101
ITEM INFORMATION:		Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement
ITEM INFORMATION:		Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets
ITEM INFORMATION:		Regulation FD Disclosure
FILED AS OF DATE:		20160105
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20160105

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Green Plains Inc.
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001309402
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	INDUSTRIAL ORGANIC CHEMICALS [2860]
		IRS NUMBER:				841652107
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			IA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		8-K
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-32924
		FILM NUMBER:		161320270

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		450 REGENCY PARKWAY
		STREET 2:		SUITE 400
		CITY:			OMAHA
		STATE:			NE
		ZIP:			68114
		BUSINESS PHONE:		402-884-8700

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		450 REGENCY PARKWAY
		STREET 2:		SUITE 400
		CITY:			OMAHA
		STATE:			NE
		ZIP:			68114

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc.
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20100106

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	GREEN PLAINS RENEWABLE ENERGY, INC.
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20060314

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc.
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20041123
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>d115461d8k.htm
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 8-K
<TEXT>
<HTML><HEAD>
<TITLE>Form 8-K</TITLE>
</HEAD>
 <BODY BGCOLOR="WHITE">

 <P STYLE="line-height:1.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="line-height:3.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>UNITED STATES </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>FORM 8-K
</B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>CURRENT REPORT </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>PURSUANT
TO SECTION 13 or 15(d) </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>January 1, 2016 </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:24pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Green Plains
Inc. </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="100%" BORDER="0" STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" ALIGN="center">


<TR>
<TD WIDTH="34%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="32%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="32%"></TD></TR>


<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>Iowa</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>001-32924</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>84-1652107</B></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:8pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>(State or other jurisdiction <BR>of incorporation)</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>(Commission File Number)</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center"><B>(I.R.S. Employer <BR>Identification No.)</B></TD></TR>
</TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>450 Regency Parkway, Suite 400 </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Omaha, Nebraska </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Address
of principal executive offices) </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>68114 </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Zip code) </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(402)
884-8700 </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Registrant&#146;s telephone number, including area code) </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Not Applicable </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Former
name or former address, if changed since last report) </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Check the appropriate box below
if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions: </P> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17&nbsp;CFR 240.14d-2(b)) </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="FONT-FAMILY:WINGDINGS">&#168;</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17&nbsp;CFR 240.13e-4(c)) </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="line-height:1.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="line-height:3.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P>

<p Style='page-break-before:always'>
<HR  SIZE="3" style="COLOR:#999999" WIDTH="100%" ALIGN="CENTER">


<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><B>Item&nbsp;1.01</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><B>Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement </B></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B><I>Asset Purchase Agreement </I></B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Effective January&nbsp;1, 2016, Green Plains Partners LP (the &#147;Partnership&#148;) entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (the
&#147;Purchase Agreement&#148;) with its parent Green Plains Inc. (&#147;GPRE&#148;), Green Plains Hereford LLC (&#147;Green Plains Hereford&#148;), Green Plains Hopewell LLC (&#147;Green Plains Hopewell&#148; and together with Green Plains Hereford
and GPRE, the &#147;Sellers&#148;), Green Plains Holdings LLC, the Partnership&#146;s general partner (the &#147;General Partner&#148;), Green Plains Operating LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Partnership (the &#147;Operating Company&#148;)
Green Plains Ethanol Storage LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Partnership (&#147;Green Plains Storage&#148;) and Green Plains Logistics LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Partnership (&#147;Green Plains Logistics&#148; and collectively with
the Partnership, the General Partner, Green Plains Storage and the Operating Company, the &#147;Partnership Parties&#148;), pursuant to which the Sellers sold certain ethanol storage assets located in Hopewell, Virginia and Hereford, Texas (the
&#147;Storage Assets&#148;) and certain leased railcar transportation assets located in Hereford, Texas (the &#147;Transportation Assets,&#148; and together with the Storage Assets, the &#147;Assets&#148;) to wholly owned subsidiaries of the
Partnership (the &#147;Transaction&#148;) for cash consideration of $62.5 million. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The Purchase Agreement provided for the closing of the
Transaction to occur upon execution of the Purchase Agreement. The cash consideration used in the Transaction was financed through borrowings made under the Operating Company&#146;s 5-year, $100 million revolving credit facility with Bank of
America, N.A. as administrative agent, and certain other commercial lending institutions as lenders and letter of credit issuing banks. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, and subject to certain limitations, the Partnership Parties and the Sellers agreed to certain
indemnification provisions with each other and their respective affiliates. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B><I>Relationships </I></B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Each of the parties to the Purchase Agreement is a direct or indirect subsidiary of GPRE.&nbsp;As a result, certain individuals, including
officers of GPRE and officers and directors of the General Partner, serve as officers and/or directors of one or more such entities.&nbsp;GPRE currently (as of the date of this Current Report on Form 8-K) owns 4,389,642 common units of the
Partnership (&#147;Common Units&#148;) and 15,889,642 subordinated units of the Partnership (&#147;Subordinated Units&#148;), collectively representing a 62.5% limited partner interest in the Partnership as of December&nbsp;31, 2015.&nbsp;GPRE also
owns a 2% general partner interest in the Partnership and all of the Partnership&#146;s incentive distribution rights through its ownership of the General Partner.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The terms and conditions of the Purchase Agreement were approved on behalf of the Partnership by the conflicts committee and the board of
directors of the General Partner.&nbsp;The conflicts committee, which is comprised of independent members of the board of directors of the General Partner, retained independent legal and financial advisors to assist it in evaluating and negotiating
the Transaction.&nbsp;In approving the terms of the Transaction, the conflicts committee based its decision in part on an opinion from the independent financial advisor that the consideration to be paid by the Partnership Parties pursuant to the
Purchase Agreement is fair, from a financial point of view, to the Partnership. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B><I>First Amendment to Omnibus Agreement </I></B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Effective January&nbsp;1, 2016, in connection with the Transaction, the Partnership entered into the First Amendment to the Omnibus Agreement
(the &#147;Omnibus Agreement Amendment&#148;) with GPRE, the General Partner, and the Operating Company that provides for the Partnership&#146;s obligation to reimburse GPRE for certain direct or allocated costs and expenses incurred by GPRE in
providing general and administrative services in connection with assets acquired or developed by the Partnership and its subsidiaries from time to time, which includes the Assets. </P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">2 </P>


<p Style='page-break-before:always'>
<HR  SIZE="3" style="COLOR:#999999" WIDTH="100%" ALIGN="CENTER">

 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B><I>Amendment No.&nbsp;1 to Operational Services Agreement </I></B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Effective January&nbsp;1, 2016, in connection with the Transaction, the General Partner entered into Amendment No.&nbsp;1 to the Operational
Services and Secondment Agreement (the &#147;Operational Services Agreement Amendment&#148;) with GPRE pursuant to which GPRE will second certain employees to the General Partner to provide management, maintenance and operational functions with
respect to the Assets. The provided functions will be substantially similar to the management, maintenance and operational functions previously provided under the Operational Services and Secondment Agreement. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B><I>Amendment No.&nbsp;1 to Ethanol Storage and Throughput Agreement </I></B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Effective January&nbsp;1, 2016, in connection with the Transaction, Green Plains Storage, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Partnership, entered
into Amendment No.&nbsp;1 to Ethanol Storage and Throughput Agreement (the &#147;Storage and Throughput Agreement Amendment&#148;) with Green Plains Trade Group LLC (&#147;Green Plains Trade&#148;). Pursuant to the Storage and Throughput Agreement
Amendment, Green Plains Trade is obligated to throughput a minimum of 246.5&nbsp;million gallons per calendar quarter (previously 212.5&nbsp;million gallons per calendar quarter) of product at the Partnership&#146;s facilities. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B><I>Amendment to Railcar Transportation Services Agreement </I></B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Effective January&nbsp;1, 2016, in connection with the Transaction, Green Plains Logistics, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Partnership,
agreed to an increase in the minimum capacity commitment of 6.72&nbsp;million gallons with Green Plains Trade. </P> <P STYLE="font-size:18pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><B>Item&nbsp;2.01.</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><B>Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets. </B></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The information under the heading
&#147;<I>Asset Purchase Agreement</I>&#148; set forth in Item&nbsp;1.01 above is incorporated into this Item&nbsp;2.01 by reference. </P> <P STYLE="font-size:18pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><B>Item&nbsp;7.01.</B></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"><B>Regulation FD Disclosure. </B></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">On January&nbsp;4, 2016, the Partnership issued a press
release announcing the completion of the Transaction. </P> <P STYLE="font-size:18pt; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">3 </P>


<p Style='page-break-before:always'>
<HR  SIZE="3" style="COLOR:#999999" WIDTH="100%" ALIGN="CENTER">

 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SIGNATURES </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. </P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="100%" BORDER="0" STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">


<TR>
<TD WIDTH="46%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="2%"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1%"></TD>
<TD WIDTH="45%"></TD></TR>


<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" COLSPAN="3"><B>Green Plains Inc.</B></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top">Date: January&nbsp;5, 2016</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">By:</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" STYLE="BORDER-BOTTOM:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" STYLE="BORDER-BOTTOM:1px solid #000000">/s/ Jerry L. Peters</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">Jerry L. Peters</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">Chief Financial Officer</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">(Principal Financial Officer)</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">4 </P>

</BODY></HTML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
