FARGO, N.D. (Feb. 7, 2017) – Gov. Doug Burgum and leaders of Minnesota Soybean Processors (MnSP) and its subsidiary North Dakota Soybean Processors (NDSP) announced today that MnSP is taking steps toward construction of a $240 million soybean processing plant – the first of its kind in North Dakota – at Spiritwood, N.D.
The plant would be an integrated soybean crush facility and refinery, crushing 125,000 bushels of soybeans per day. It would produce soybean meal, refined, bleached and deodorized soybean oil and biodiesel.
MnSP, a membership cooperative that owns and operates a soybean crush facility and biodiesel operation in Brewster, Minn., has selected a site on 150 acres near Spiritwood. The co-op would move forward with construction following further due diligence, necessary approvals and a successful engineering study.
By selecting the Spiritwood site, MnSP is able to conduct a preliminary front-end engineering and design study, which will be used to determine feasibility of construction. MnSP is working with the North Dakota Agricultural Products Utilization Commission to complete the construction feasibility study.
“The potential for this type of value-added project is great news for our farmers and the entire state of North Dakota,” Burgum said. “The NDSP plant will create value in the local community and beyond by creating 55 to 60 full-time jobs, supporting local service companies, vendors and suppliers and supporting the soybean price paid to local farmers.”
Gov. Burgum, MnSP Board President Bruce Hill and MnSP General Manager Scott Austin made the announcement during the annual Northern Soybean Expo and Trade Show in Fargo, joined by North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring.
“Our preliminary market analysis shows there are markets this facility would serve that would complement our current efforts at the Brewster facility to reach both global and domestic markets for meal and oil,” Austin said. “We also believe that the biodiesel from this plant would serve both domestic and international markets.”
The NDSP plant would annually produce 900,000 tons of soybean meal, which is usually used as livestock feed for poultry and swine but can also be used for cattle, and 490 million pounds of oil. Half of the oil will be used to produce biodiesel, while the other half will be food-grade soybean oil.
The plant would utilize steam from the nearby Spiritwood Station, a coal-fired power plant operated by Great River Energy.
MnSP has been working with the Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corp. and meeting with the appropriate state agencies, including the Department of Commerce, Office of State Tax Commissioner and Bank of North Dakota.