ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, US — Benson Hill, a food tech company, is planning to collaborate with family-owned Rose Acre Farms to optimize its soybean processing capacity in Seymour, Indiana, US.

It also will help build out the supply chain for Benson Hill’s high-protein, high-oleic, low anti-nutrient soybeans.

Benson Hill has partnered with growers to contract more than 30,000 acres of soybeans this growing season, including significant acreage in Indiana. To minimize cost and the carbon footprint of transportation, Benson Hill sought out Rose Acre Farms as a partner to develop a processing facility in close radius to its grower partners.

“We are thrilled to partner with Benson Hill to expand our crushing capacity in Indiana,” said Tony Wesner, chief operating officer of Rose Acre Farms. “We believe this strategic partnership will deliver tremendous value to local farmers and, by opening a new market pathway for in-demand soybean ingredients, support higher land and commodity prices over time. As the second-largest egg producer in the United States, we also see that the market is moving toward higher-protein animal feed, a key attribute of Benson Hill’s soybean portfolio.”

Benson Hill and Rose Acre Farms are now actively enrolling interested growers for the 2021 growing season.

“Benson Hill’s partnership with Rose Acre Farms further builds out our supply chain infrastructure and enables us to bring our identity-preserved soybeans to more commercial buyers,” said Chris Wilkins, COO of Benson Hill. “Demand for high-quality, high-protein soybeans — particularly as ingredients to serve the booming plant-based foods market — continues to grow. We expect the plant protein market to continue to increase at a double-digit percentage over the next several years, and with value chain partners like Rose Acre Farms and farmer partners across the Midwest, we are well-positioned to capitalize on that demand.”

Benson Hill noted the new collaboration also will support jobs in the area and boost the local economy.

Benson Hill utilizes Cloud Biology and the CropOS platform, a food innovation engine that combines data science and machine learning with biology and genetics. Benson Hill is working to create healthier, great-tasting food and ingredient options that are both widely accessible and sustainable.

Family-owned, Seymour, Indiana, US-based Rose Acre Farms has grown to become the second-largest egg producer in the United States and employs 2,500 people. The company has facilities in Arizona, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Texas, North Carolina, and Georgia.