South Dakota marked a milestone in its agricultural and energy industries with the opening of a $500 million soybean crushing facility backed by BP and South Dakota Soybean Processors. The High Plains Processing plant, located in Davison County, has the capacity to crush 35 million bushels of soybeans annually, making it one of the largest projects in the state’s history.
Governor Larry Rhoden, who joined the ribbon-cutting ceremony, called the facility proof that “ag is king in South Dakota” and praised it as a symbol of the state’s “Open for Opportunity” ethos. The venture is expected to significantly expand the state’s role in renewable energy markets by supplying critical feedstocks for biofuel production.
The plant, designed to process both soybeans and sunflower seeds from local farmers, will produce meal and oils destined for refining and transport by rail or truck. With the ability to process 50,000 bushels per hour and store more than 15 million gallons of crude and refined oil, the site is expected to become a cornerstone in BP’s strategy to scale biofuel production to 100,000 barrels per day by 2030.
The facility’s location near Interstate 90 and a BNSF Railway mainline gives it multimodal transport advantages, while traffic from area farms is forecast to grow substantially—rising to 565 trucks per day during peak harvests by 2030. Soybeans will primarily be sourced within a 90-mile radius, with sunflower production targeted in drier areas north and west of Mitchell.
BP executives said the plant strengthens their renewable fuels supply chain and positions South Dakota as a key player in the fast-growing U.S. bioenergy sector.
