Key facts
- North Dakota's soybean plantings have increased faster than any other state.
- Soybean yields in North Dakota have remained flat at around 35 bushels per acre over the last decade.
- The national average soybean yield is nearly 53 bushels per acre.
- Temperatures in North Dakota have warmed by more than 2.6 degrees Fahrenheit since 1900.
- Two new soybean processing plants can process 90 million bushels of soybeans annually, nearly half of North Dakota's projected 2026 harvest.
- The Green Bison soy plant is a joint venture between Archer-Daniels-Midland and Marathon Petroleum.
- The North Dakota Soybean Processors plant is a joint venture formed by CGB Enterprises and Minnesota Soybean Processors.
North Dakota is experiencing a significant boom in soybean production, driven by increased demand from China and the domestic biofuel industry. While the state's soybean plantings have more than tripled since 2000, outpacing national growth, its yields have lagged behind the national average.
Advancements in herbicide-resistant seeds, such as Monsanto's Roundup Ready soybeans introduced in 1996, have simplified cultivation and contributed to the growth. Simultaneously, a warming climate in North Dakota, with temperatures rising by over 2.6 degrees Fahrenheit since 1900, has made growing conditions more favorable, although it also increases the risk of drought.
Farmers are adapting to these conditions by adopting soil moisture-preserving techniques like no-till farming, a departure from traditional plowing methods. The development of soybean varieties better suited to North Dakota's shorter, drier summers is a key focus of research, with the goal of narrowing the yield gap with states like Illinois.
The surge in demand for soy-based biofuels has been a critical factor, especially as trade tensions reduced exports to China. The opening of two large soybean processing plants in North Dakota since 2023, with a combined capacity to process nearly half of the state's projected harvest, provides a strong domestic market. These plants, including the Green Bison plant (a joint venture of Archer-Daniels-Midland and Marathon Petroleum) and the North Dakota Soybean Processors plant (a joint venture of CGB Enterprises and Minnesota Soybean Processors), offer farmers better prices than export-reliant grain elevators.