Three soybean crush plants are in the works in North Dakota. Another dozen plants are under construction or proposed across the country. The Green Bison Soy Processing plant at Spiritwood was the first North Dakota project announced this year. ADM and Marathon Oil have a joint venture to produce renewable diesel fuel at the Marathon refinery in Dickinson. North Dakota Soybean Processors broke ground in August at Casselton. This is a joint venture between Minnesota Soybean Processors and Louisiana-based CGB Enterprises. Executive General Manager Jeramie Weller expects soybean meal to be shipped out of state. “We’re looking at Canada as taking a lot of the soybean meal and also the PNW with exports,” said Weller. “For us, the South and Southwest U.S., including Mexico, are also markets.” Late in the year, Epitome Energy announced it would be building its crush plant at Grand Forks. The same project was announced three years ago in Crookston. “After 16 months of being in the air permitting process, the MPCA (MInnesota Pollution Control Agency) just wanted to proceed with some components that no other crush facilities are being held to,” said Epitome CEO Dennis Egan. The demand for renewable diesel, especially on the West Coast, resulted in this fundamental change in the soybean industry.
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