Big economic news is heading to Evansville: a Minnesota-based agricultural cooperative is set to break ground this fall on a major soybean crushing plant that carries a price tag of $700 million, according to reports from WPR and GazetteXtra.

The cooperative, CHS, announced plans for the large-scale soybean processing facility, which represents one of the most significant industrial investments the Evansville area has seen in recent memory. The plant is described as a major soybean crushing operation, a type of facility that processes soybeans into products such as soybean meal and soybean oil — commodities in high demand across food, feed, and fuel industries.

With groundbreaking slated for this fall, the project signals a strong vote of confidence in Evansville as a hub for agricultural processing and commerce. Facilities of this scale typically bring a substantial number of construction jobs in the near term, followed by permanent employment once operations begin.

CHS is a farmer-owned cooperative headquartered in Minnesota and is one of the largest cooperatives in the United States, with deep roots in grain, energy, and food processing. Choosing Evansville for this investment puts the city on the map as a destination for major agribusiness infrastructure.

For a region with strong ties to agriculture and manufacturing, the announcement is welcome news — a reminder that Evansville continues to attract large-scale investment that can support local workers and the broader regional economy for years to come. Residents and local officials will no doubt be watching with excitement as shovels hit the ground this fall.

Sources: WPR, GazetteXtra