South Dakota officials celebrated the grand opening of the High Plains Processing soybean facility Tuesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by approximately 1,000 invited guests.
The $500 million facility, located 2 miles south of Mitchell, represents the highest-valued construction project in state history and will begin accepting grain in early October.
The plant will process 35 million bushels of soybeans annually and has the capability to handle oilseed crops beginning potentially in summer 2026.
South Dakota Soybean Processors will manage the facility, which features 3 million bushels of storage capacity and 7 miles of railroad track on its 296-acre site.
CEO Tom Kersting noted the project is under budget and ahead of schedule, with nearly all 75 expected full-time positions already filled.
