SUCO, LLC, a hexane-free soybean extraction company, has announced its plans to build a soybean processing plant on a 17-acre site adjacent to the south edge of Qulin and create new jobs in the rural community.
An information meeting is set for 7 p.m. Thursday at Hirsch Feed and Farm Supply in West Plains.
The plant will utilize approximately 4.5 million bushels of locally grown soybeans and produce nearly 101,000 tons of soybean meal and 44 million pounds of soybean oil a year which will be marketed regionally to poultry, swine, pet food, and biodiesel plants in the region.
“The proximity of our planned facility to large poultry facilities in both northern Arkansas and northwestern Tennessee makes this a perfect location for this kind of operation. It’s safe, will create job, and has the potential to help this area grow even more with ancillary business development,” said Jerry Suiter, owner.
SUCO LLC will utilize a new proprietary technology that increases the soybean oil extraction from a mechanical press to handle more than 400 tons per day. It will be only the second feed-based plant in the nation to use carbon dioxide as an all-natural solvent/cooling agent to increase the amount of oil extracted from the soybean compared to a standard press technology. The plant will produce a high quality cold press oil suitable for biodiesel or food grade applications and a unique soybean meal product offering protein, oil and fiber ratios particularly beneficial for poultry and swine.
Hexane is a highly corrosive carcinogenic byproduct of petroleum refining and is commonly used as a solvent to extract vegetable oils. It is also used as a cleaning agent in the textile, furniture, shoemaking and paper industries. Due to the hexane-free process used during the Crown Iron Works extraction process, the soybean meal from this plant has a potential added health benefit for human consumption as well as in animal feed.
“This is truly a new day for soy processing. SafeSoy Systems, in conjunction with the world leader in oil extraction engineering and equipment manufacturing, has developed a process that utilizes high pressure liquid extraction that uses natural CO2 instead of dangerous solvents creating the world’s first all naturally defatted soy meal. This breakthrough in crush technology, along with new cutting edge soy genetics with high protein, teamed with specialty oil traits will offer growers and producers a value added advantage and keep valuable profit margins in your area,” said Mark Hill, SafeSoy Systems, president.
SUCO, LLC has been in the planning stages for more than a year. The concept stemmed from a vision by Jerry and Janice Suiter, owners of Hopkins Seed and Chemical, Inc. in Qulin. The privately owned agronomy and grain company serves farmers in eastern Butler, northwestern Dunklin and Stoddard County in the Bootheel area of Missouri and areas of northeast Arkansas.
After receiving a favorable feasibility study earlier this year, SUCO LLC was organized. A group of area farmers and business professionals have been asked to serve on the board of managers.
“I am proud that SUCO LLC has selected Qulin for the site of their new soybean processing plant,” said Tom Todd, state representative for the 163rd District, which includes Qulin. “Not only will this plant create good jobs for our community, but it will also produce a product locally that is important to our existing agricultural industries in the region. I am also pleased that the new plant will use new technology to produce this much-needed product in a safe way. I believe the new SUCO plant will be an asset to our community’s strong agricultural economy.”
Processed soybeans are the largest source of protein feed and vegetable oil in the world. Soybean oil is found in food products such as margarine, salad dressings and cooking oils, and industrial products such as plastics and biodiesel fuel. Lecithin, extracted from soybean oil, is used for everything from pharmaceuticals to protective coatings. It is a natural emulsifier and lubricant. Lecithin is used, for example, to keep the chocolate and cocoa butter in a candy bar from separating. After removal of the soybean oil, the remaining flakes can be processed into various edible soy protein products, or used to produce soybean meal for animal feeds.
“Additional crush capacity is good for not only for Missouri’s soybean farmers, but for the livestock industry, our biodiesel industry and Missouri’s economy. Processing more beans in Missouri adds to the feedstock supply for biodiesel producers and having a supply in southeast Missouri would greatly reduce transportation costs for several of these facilities. In-state crush expansion means we are adding value to a greater volume of soybeans and providing a greater supply of soybean meal/feed for those in animal agriculture,” said J.P. Dunn, Missouri Soybean Association.
“The Qulin area is ideal for a small-scale hexane-free soybean extraction plant of this kind. The eight county district in the bootheel area which includes Butler, Dunklin, and Stoddard counties produced more than 32 million bushels of soybeans in 2005 and nearly 38 million bushels in 2006. I’m excited about what this will mean for our area,” Suiter added.