[LOGO OMITTED]                                                 [GRAPHIC OMITTED]


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

         INVESTIGATION CONTINUES INTO MIDWEST GRAIN DISTILLERY EXPLOSION

     ATCHISON,  Kan.,  September  17, 2002 -- The cause of  Friday's  distillery
explosion  at Midwest  Grain  Products,  Inc.'s  Atchison  plant  remains  under
investigation.  A full damage assessment is underway but could take some time to
complete.

     The company maintains property, general liability and business interruption
insurance  and believes  that its  coverages  are  sufficient to protect it from
material loss as a result of the explosion.  Initial  conferences with insurance
representatives are being held this week.

     As a result of the explosion,  the company's  Atchison  alcohol  production
facility is inoperable. Pending completion of the damage assessment, the company
is unable  to  estimate  when the  distillery  will  reopen.  Historically,  the
Atchison distillery has produced approximately  one-third of the company's total
alcohol output.  However,  the company believes that production  capabilities at
its Pekin,  Illinois,  facility could be sufficient to supply regular customers,
but its  ability to supply new spot  business  could be  substantially  reduced.
During the last fiscal year, the Atchison distillery accounted for approximately
19% of the company's total fuel grade alcohol  production and  approximately 67%
of its total food grade alcohol production.

     The company is working to resume the production of wheat-based  ingredients
at the Atchison  plant as soon as  practicable.  Some  production is expected to
occur  within the next one to two weeks,  depending  primarily  on the extent of
damage to the plant's boilers.  These wheat-based  ingredients consist primarily
of  commodity  and  specialty  wheat  proteins  and  wheat  starches.  Sales  of
wheat-based ingredients produced at the Atchison facility during the last fiscal
year represented approximately 61% of the company's total wheat-based ingredient
sales,  nearly 75% of the company's specialty  wheat-based  ingredient sales and
nearly 44% of the company's commodity wheat-based ingredient sales.

                                     -more-
ADD 1 -- MIDWEST GRAIN EXPLOSION INVESTIGATION CONTINUES

     Because the Atchison plant's wheat-based  ingredient and alcohol production
processes are  integrated,  the company's  ability to resume normal  protein and
starch production  operations will be dependent on the company's ability to make
arrangements for alternative means of handling the effluents from the production
of wheat-based  ingredients that were consumed in the distillery operations.  If
such arrangements do not materialize, the company's ability to process commodity
starches and commodity proteins at the Atchison plant will be affected. However,
in recent  years,  the  company  has  elected  to reduce the  production  of its
commodity  wheat-based  ingredients  and  instead  has  emphasized  sales of its
specialty  products.  By adjusting its production process and by sourcing starch
and gluten raw material from its Illinois plant,  the company expects to be able
to resume  producing  most of its  specialty  wheat-based  proteins and starches
formerly  produced  at its  Atchison  plant after the plant  reopens.  Specialty
wheat-based  proteins and starches  have been the primary focus of the company's
marketing efforts in recent times.

     The Atchison plant has  approximately one month's inventory of most protein
and starch products and the company expects to be able to maintain  shipments to
customers  until  wheat-based  ingredient  production  at the Atchison  facility
returns to more normal operations.

This news release  contains  forward-looking  statements  as well as  historical
information. Forward-looking statements are identified by or are associated with
such  words  as  "intend,"  "believe,"   "estimate,"   "expect,"   "anticipate,"
"hopeful,"  "should," "may" and similar  expressions.  They reflect management's
current  beliefs  and  estimates  of  future  economic  circumstances,  industry
conditions,  company performance and financial results and are not guarantees of
future performance. The forward-looking statements are based on many assumptions
and factors,  including those relating to grain prices,  gasoline prices, energy
costs,   product  pricing,   competitive   environment  and  related   marketing
conditions, operating efficiencies, access to capital and actions of governments
or government officials and actions of insurers.  Any changes in the assumptions
or factors could produce  materially  different results than those predicted and
could impact stock values.

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