CHS, the US’ largest farmer-owned cooperative and a global agribusiness, plans to invest approximately $700 million to build a soybean processing facility near Evansville, Wisconsin, adding substantial processing capacity to its oilseed network and creating new market opportunities for farmer-owners.
Construction is expected to begin in the coming weeks, with the facility targeted for completion in fall 2028. The plant will be designed to process 80 million bushels of US-grown soybeans annually, strengthening CHS’ position in a soybean-processing market supported by demand from food, animal feed and renewable fuel industries.
“Investments like this help CHS create additional value for our owners and customers by expanding market access, strengthening our processing network and creating new demand opportunities for U.S.-grown soybeans,” said John Griffith, executive vice president of agriculture business and CHS Hedging. He said demand across food, feed and renewable fuel markets, along with policies supporting domestic processing, manufacturing and energy production, was reinforcing the need for additional soybean processing capacity in the US.
The Evansville facility will expand soybean processing capacity in southern Wisconsin, an important soybean-producing region that also has substantial demand for soybean meal from livestock producers. Once operational, the facility is expected to employ approximately 80 people and produce around 1 billion pounds of soybean oil and 2 million tons of soybean meal annually.
Its location is expected to provide logistical advantages, with access to soybean-producing areas, rail infrastructure and major transportation corridors. This will allow soybean meal and oil to move to domestic and international markets while giving regional farmers an additional outlet for their production.
The investment is also expected to generate economic activity beyond the plant itself. Construction is projected to support hundreds of contractor and skilled-trade positions, while the completed facility will create permanent jobs and increase demand for locally produced soybeans.
“CHS is committed to being a long-term partner in the communities where we operate,” Griffith said. “This investment supports rural economic development, creates jobs and strengthens the agricultural supply chain for producers, customers and communities across the region.”
The project adds processing capacity closer to production areas and could expand access to both soybean meal and oil markets. Wisconsin Soybean Association President Doug Rebout said the investment represents an effort to create stronger local demand for soybeans and provide growers with another market closer to their farms.
The Evansville project will complement CHS’ existing oilseed processing network. The cooperative currently processes 525,000 metric tons of canola seed annually at its Hallock, Minnesota, facility and approximately 119 million bushels of soybeans at facilities in Fairmont and Mankato, Minnesota.
Once Evansville becomes operational, CHS’ soybean processing capacity will increase by more than two-thirds, marking a significant expansion of the cooperative’s footprint in US oilseed processing. The project will also deepen CHS’ ability to connect farmer-owned supply with growing demand for vegetable oils, protein-rich feed ingredients and renewable fuel feedstocks.
