Expanding domestic soybean processing capacity is creating new export opportunities for U.S. soybean meal. According to a new report from North Dakota State University’s Agricultural Risk Policy Center, soybean meal exports reached a record 18.6 million metric tons during the 2025-26 marketing year. The Northern Plains is playing a major role in the expansion of U.S. soybean processing capacity. Seven of the nine soybean crush plants opened nationwide between 2023 and 2025 are located in the Dakotas, Nebraska and Kansas. Those states now have the capacity to produce nearly 13 million metric tons of soybean meal annually, far exceeding regional livestock feed demand. That surplus is increasing the importance of export markets as domestic crushing capacity continues to grow.
