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The big crush: Trump, Xi and domestic demand. | Published on: Sep 25, 2026 By K. Elliott Nowels MANHATTAN, Ill. (AgPR) - When President Donald Trump sits down with China's President Xi Jinping, soybean farmers here in northern Illinois and across the country would like them to talk about soybeans. "That means working toward a durable trading relationship," Ohio farmer Scott Metzger, current president of the American Soybean Association (ASA) said in a recent ASA news release. ASA would like Trump to encourage Xi to keep his commitment to buy 25 million metric tons of U.S soybeans annually, 2026 through 2028. But feeding Chinese hogs and chickens aren't the only thing bringing out the best from America's soybean farmers, especially given that's just a fraction of past U.S. soybean exports to that country. No, what's causing them to chase more pods and bigger beans is all the new crush plants springing up from Ohio all the way to the Dakotas. Big players are responding to demand for aviation fuel, biofuels and renewable diesel with big infrastructure that will need a constant supply. The latest crush facility announcement comes from CHS, Inc. - the nation's largest farmer-owned cooperative - in Evansville, Wisc. The $700-million investment is the first large-scale soybean crush plant in the state with planned capacity to process 80 million bushels of soybeans each year. "For farmers, this is about more than a new processing plant; it is a new market for their soybeans," said Devin Mogler, National Oilseed Processors Association president and CEO. "Our industry has expanded at a remarkable pace, and we are on a path toward processing two out of every three rows of soybeans grown in the U.S." Domestic crush levels have exceeded the year-ago levels for 17 months in a row, showcasing the continued industry investment and growth. Given this new, more local demand, a crop often denigrated by many as just a rotational crop between seasons of King Corn is now gaining more scrutiny, care and love. "You can push soybeans throughout the season based off what they're dealing with," said Robert Phillips, agronomist with Integrated Seed Solutions of Flanagan, Ill. "You can find ways to get them to set more nodes and add another cluster of pods through foliar feeding and different bio stimulants." Veteran agronomist Larry Fiene, founder and CEO of Planet Earth Agronomy, an agronomic consulting and product development company based in Mt. Horeb, Wisc., says chasing high yields means planting more beans and that brings the need to manage stress the plants will encounter all season long. "The main stress that's created in the soybean field is by the farmer, and it's by design," he smiles. "If we wanted stress-free beans, we'd plant 60,000 seeds per acre. But we plant them at 100,000 to 120,000 (seeds per acre) to get the maximum amount of production, so that brings stress from competing with other bean plants in the field. As farmers we're growing the maximum amount of yield based on the carrying capacity of our soil. We know where we need to be, and we run it right to the edge." Fiene has considerable experience evaluating high-yield soybean systems. He's spent decades evaluating how biologicals, nutrients, and biostimulants can be applied to prepare soybeans to endure hardship to grow taller, branch out more, set more pods, and support bigger beans. He and his team at Planet Earth Agronomy developed and rigorously tested a new formulation, dubbed Big Beanâ?¢, that combines Boron (2.35%), Nitrogen (2%), Potash (1%), seaweed extract (Ascophyllum nodosum) and other components into one product designed to: â?¢ Enhance soil health, nutrient cycling, and plant vigor through natural biological processes â?¢ Enhance plant metabolic efficiency, improve stress tolerance, and optimize nutrient uptake without being a fertilizer or pesticide â?¢ Improve soil structure, nutrient availability, microbial activity, and plant metabolism and â?¢ Boost plant enzyme function, metabolism, and yield expression. For Mike Robbins, a fifth-generation farmer from just south of Chicago, the benefits have been clear. "We set a record yield with our soybeans last year with BIG BEAN as a part of that. I'm excited to see what it does this year," Robbins says. "We saw about a four bushel per acre increase across 2,000 acres over our previous record, which is pretty incredible." Robbins says he and his father saw a lot of return on a pretty small investment from a product that was easy to integrate into their system. "We put it in with our post- herbicide pass and we put it in with our fungicide pass. It's as simple as measuring it and dumping it in the tank." WATCH VIDEO here . Standing in a soybean field in northern Illinois recently, Robert Phillips says he's been counting pods and enjoying the journey toward higher and higher yields with a domestic market that's ready to use them. "Each node on a soybean plant has the potential to put 12 pods on," he says. "I've never seen it personally, yet, but I'm working on it. I'm going to get there. I had nine pods last year, and that's unheard of. It's been a lifetime goal to get there, but there's still a lot of that mountain to climb." About the Author K. Elliott Nowels is a veteran ag journalist, publisher and film producer who has covered ag trends and new technology for more than 30 years. He is co-founder of PrecisionAg.com and former vice president of business development for Meister Media Worldwide. He currently operates The Elliott Group, an agricultural business development and strategic communications firm. Contact for interviews or follow-up questions: K. Elliott Nowels, Founder and CEO, The Elliott Group +1-440-564-7853 â?¢ [email protected]

CHS to build new US$700M soyabean crushing facility in Wisconsin. Published 18th September, 2026 US agribusiness co-operative CHS has announced plans to build a new soyabean crushing facility in Evansville, Wisconsin, USA. The new 80M bushels/year facility would expand market access to meet growing demand for soyabean oil and meal, the company said on 14 September. Expected to produce around 453,592 tonnes (pounds)/year of soyabean oil and 2M tonnes/year of soyabean meal, CHS said the facility would supply growing domestic markets for food, animal feed and biofuel feedstocks. Construction was scheduled to begin in the weeks after CHS's announcement, with completion targeted in the latter half of 2028. "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 US-grown soyabeans," said John Griffith, executive vice president of agriculture business and CHS Hedging. "Strong demand across food, feed and renewable fuel markets, coupled with policies that encourage domestic processing, manufacturing and energy production, reinforce the need for additional soyabean processing capacity in the USA." The facility would increase soyabean processing capacity in southern Wisconsin, a region with strong soyabean production and significant demand for soyabean meal from livestock producers, the company added. The new facility would complement the company's existing oilseed processing operations in Minnesota. In Hallock, CHS processes 525,000 tonnes/year of canola, and in Fairmont and Mankato, Minnesota, it processes approximately 119M bushels/year of soyabeans. Once the Evansville facility was operational, the company's soyabean processing capacity would increase by more than two-thirds, CHS said. As the largest farmer-owned cooperative in the USA, CHS has customers in 65 countries. In 2025, its agronomy, grains, foods and energy businesses recorded revenues of US$35.5bn.

TUE AM news: Talking Trade with Brian Dranzik, Milwaukee Mitchell intl. airport, and Jack Rabenn, Crow Holdings; ag co-op planning $700M soybean facility near Evansville. September 15, 2026 - In the latest episode of "Talking Trade," partners in the new $80 million cargo terminal at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport say the project will bring more airborne economic activity to Wisconsin. The podcast features an interview with Brian Dranzik, the airport's director, and Jack Rabenn, managing director of the industrial group for Crow Holdings Development. Adding the new cargo terminal has been more than five years in the making, Rabenn says, noting it will bring "an amenity to the state that it's never had before." The 330,000-square-foot facility includes a new taxiway and space for multiple large aircraft. "Ideally we'd be taking some [traffic] from O'Hare, but we're really a complement to it more than anything," Rabenn said. "There's plenty to go around in the Midwest... there's a lot of demand that originates or ends up in southeast Wisconsin or broader Wisconsin." Much of the air cargo that moves through the region currently passes through Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Rabenn said. "It's just not efficient, there's a lot of leakage for the state. So that's the initial goal here, is to provide that service and amenity to the supply chains," he said, referring to the area's manufacturing sector. Construction on the facility's building frame and land are currently wrapping up, while Crow Holdings is continuing work on a 400,000-gallon fuel system. The company is targeting November to finish much of the project. Dranzik says the new terminal will help address current fueling limitations, noting "it's a scramble" to get diverted flights refueled on time without the new capacity. "This facility allows us to handle that, and it provides kind of a variety of potential revenue opportunities for the operator as well," Dranzik said, adding "the ability to retain that traffic, either coming from the state or the local area here, and provide jobs and provide the growth, it's just going to be a wonderful benefit for us." Talking Trade is hosted by E.M Wasylik Associates Managing Director Ken Wasylik and M.E. Dey & Co. CEO Sandi Siegel and sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, Carroll University and Michael Best Strategies. "Talking Trade" is now available in audio form on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. Subscribe and find more episodes here. - A large agribusiness cooperative has announced plans for a $700 million soybean processing facility in southcentral Wisconsin, with construction slated to start within weeks. CHS yesterday rolled out details for the soybean processing facility near Evansville, which is planned to open in fall 2028. Once operational, the site will have capacity to process 80 million bushels of soybeans per year, boosting the company's overall processing capacity by more than two-thirds. The co-op has existing oilseed processing facilities in Minnesota, including a site in Hallock that processes 525,000 metric tons of canola seed per year, and locations in Fairmont and Mankato that process about 119 million bushels of soybeans annually. Once the Evansville facility begins production in the soybean-rich region of the state, it's expected to employ about 80 people and produce 1 billion pounds of oil and 2 million tons of meal per year. The co-op notes "significant demand" for soybean meal among livestock producers in the area. Along with the nearby soybean production, the co-op says access to rail service and transportation infrastructure "make it well positioned" to serve domestic and global markets for soybean products. In yesterday's announcement from the co-op, Gov. Tony Evers touted the company's efforts to expand soybean processing in the state. "Whether it's creating permanent jobs for families or ensuring our farmers and producers have the tools and support they need to get their products to market across the globe, today's announcement of a new facility is a win-win for our farmers and our state," Evers said in a statement. Wisconsin Soybean Association President Doug Rebout also praised the project announcement, noting it signals strong demand for the state's soybean crop. "Additional processing capacity gives growers another reliable market close to the farm and helps create long-term opportunities for Wisconsin soybeans in both meal and oil markets," he said in the co-op's announcement. Listen to a recent "Talking Trade" podcast with Rebout. - Home sales in the greater Milwaukee area dipped by 2.3% in August, continuing a five-year streak for late summer downturns in the local market. That's according to the latest report from the Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors, which shows 1,604 homes were sold across Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington counties last month. That's down from 1,641 in August 2025. "For whatever reason, buyers have taken the month of August off, but brokers are not worried," report authors wrote, noting vacations and school year preparation can disrupt homebuying activity in August. At the same time, listings are on the rise, as the four-county area had a "much-needed" 6.1% increase in August. That brought the year-to-date total to 11,982, exceeding the same point last year when 11,298 homes were available. "When sales pause and listings increase the market usually experiences a decline in prices and longer days on market," authors wrote. "However, we are not in that kind of market." The report highlights strong demand among buyers driving prices "up sharply" by 11.1% over the year, reaching $497,552. "Additional supply - in the form of condominiums, townhomes, and single-family houses - would help slow the pace of price increases though it would not cause prices to decline," authors wrote. - UW-Milwaukee is launching a new effort to expand the "real-world impact" of its research with $6 million from the National Science Foundation. The university yesterday announced the four-year grant funding from the federal agency establishing the UWM TRANSLATE initiative, led by Lubar Entrepreneurship Center Director and Prof. Ilya Avdeev. This project aims to "rethink" the university's efforts to translate research into practical applications, while also forming a model for other urban public research universities. It will focus on various aspects of the university's systems, ranging from faculty incentives to tenure and promotion criteria, as well as professional development and industry partnerships. Meanwhile, the project will also put a greater emphasis on use-inspired research, looking at challenges facing private industry and other sectors. It will provide new support for researchers, along with training for students, faculty and leadership and an accelerator program offering up to $100,000 to certain projects. Three so far have been approved, including a patient rehabilitation robotics project, an aquatic phosphate sensor, and an AI cybersecurity tool. Avdeev says the effort seeks to "redesign the system" so translating research becomes part of the university's culture rather than a side project. One existing challenge is that faculty members interested in partnerships may not be aware of current technology needs for businesses, according to Avdeev. "Those conversations only happen when a strategic partnership builds trust," he said in the release. "This is where we see the biggest opportunity for change and the opportunity to design something new."