ADM, Marathon break ground on soybean-crush plant in Spiritwood, North Dakota

Archer Daniels Midland Co. and Marathon Petroleum Corp., along with local, state and federal policymakers, broke ground June 2 for North Dakota’s first dedicated soybean-processing facility. By harvest 2023, the plant—owned by the ADM-Marathon 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 Marathon as a feedstock for renewable diesel.

“The need for lower-carbon, more sustainable products is 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, president of ADM’s North America Oils, Biodiesel and Renewable Chemicals division. “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 Marathon 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, Marathon’s senior vice president of strategy and business development, said, “The Green Bison Soy Processing facility represents another step in Marathon’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 Marathon 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.

“The new Green Bison Soybean Processing Plant brings together several important and necessary components for success,” said Dwaine Heinrich, mayor of Jamestown, North Dakota. “This joining of two of the most important components of North Dakota’s economy—agriculture and energy—is made possible by a willingness to work together to achieve goals that will in the end benefit the city of Jamestown, Stutsman County and the entire state of North Dakota. Our thanks and congratulations to ADM and Marathon for their collaboration to make this day possible.”

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum added, “As a Top 10 soybean-producing state, the ADM-Marathon joint venture is a game-changer that will provide lasting benefits for North Dakota soybean growers. 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 Marathon 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.”