JAMESTOWN, NORTH DAKOTA, US — Leaders from ADM and Marathon Petroleum Corp. (MPC), along with local, state and federal policymakers, on June 2 celebrated the groundbreaking for North Dakota’s first dedicated soybean processing facility. By harvest 2023, the plant — owned by the previously announced ADM-MPC joint venture Green Bison Soy Processing — is expected to be producing approximately 600 million pounds of refined vegetable oil annually, which will be supplied exclusively to MPC as a feedstock for renewable diesel.

“The need for lower-carbon, more sustainable products are one of the fundamental trends underlying ADM’s strategy and purpose, and we’re proud to continue to scale up our leadership in this critical area,” said Ken Campbell, ADM’s president of North America Oils, Biodiesel and Renewable Chemicals. “Renewable diesel is a potentially transformative opportunity for the oilseed industry, for farmers, and for the sustainability of our transportation system. We’re excited to celebrate our bright future, and we look forward to working with MPC and producers across North Dakota as we bring this state-of-the-art plant online in less than a year and a half.”

Dave Heppner, senior vice president of strategy and business development at MPC, added: “The Green Bison Soy Processing facility represents another step in MPC’s commitment to investing in a sustainable, energy-diverse future. The Green Bison Soy Processing facility will help us further optimize our renewable feedstock sourcing, and we are excited about the opportunity to partner with ADM and the state of North Dakota as we move forward with the development of this facility.”

When complete, the approximately $350 million complex will feature state-of-the-art automation technology and is expected to have the capacity to process 150,000 bushels of soybeans per day. Vegetable oil from the plant will be supplied exclusively to MPC to serve as feedstock for the production of a targeted 75 million gallons of renewable diesel annually.

The construction of the new complex is supporting hundreds of jobs in the region, and the facility is expected to employ approximately 75 people once operational.

“As a Top 10 soybean-producing state, the ADM-MPC joint venture is a game-changer that will provide lasting benefits for North Dakota soybean growers,” Governor Doug Burgum of North Dakota said. “Green Bison will add value and expand the market for one of our farmers’ most important crops, while also creating 75 direct jobs and diversifying our economy to support our communities, our citizens and the entire state. It’s also a shining example of the growing synergy between our agriculture and energy sectors in North Dakota. We appreciate ADM and MPC for this significant investment in our state and their well-placed faith in our highly productive and innovative farmers, and we’re grateful for the efforts of Lt. Gov. Sanford and so many other state, federal and local partners who helped make this happen.”