Soybean farmer leaders with the Soy Transportation Coalition presented a ceremonial check for $275,000 to The Andersons, Inc. on September 24 to support the expansion of export facilities at the Port of Houston, a project designed to address growing industry challenges.
The expansion, scheduled for completion in early 2026, will enable the facility to export soybean meal, addressing the industry's increasing processing capacity driven by demand for renewable fuels.
"As stewards of the funding through the soybean checkoff program, my fellow soybean farmers and I are constantly exploring any opportunity to increase the profitability of our industry," said Mike Koehne, a farmer from Greensburg, Indiana, and chairman of the Soy Transportation Coalition.
The project addresses three key priorities for soybean farmers: increasing export capacity for soybean meal, strengthening supply chain resilience, and diversifying international markets.
Unlike most soybean exports that rely on the Mississippi River system, the Houston facility will receive shipments via BNSF Railway or Union Pacific Railroad, providing an alternative during low water conditions that have repeatedly disrupted river transportation.
The expanded facility will serve markets in the Middle East, North Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia, helping offset challenges in the Chinese market.
The terminal, which already has storage capacity of 6.3 million bushels and exports more than two million metric tons of grain annually, will add capacity for 22,000 metric tons of soybean meal. Upgrades include a new conveyance system and ship loading tower to increase efficiency.
Six soybean organizations contributed to the funding: the United Soybean Board, Soy Transportation Coalition, Iowa Soybean Association, Kansas Soybean Commission, Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council and Nebraska Soybean Board. The money will support research, analysis and pre-engineering costs, while The Andersons will fund actual construction.
The facility will primarily receive soybean meal from Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska.
"As domestic soybean crush increases, we are identifying new opportunities for the export of soybean meal via our Houston facility," said Matt Dvorak, Houston business manager at The Andersons.
