While Manitoba soybean producers continue to hope for a crushing facility to be built here in the province, our neighbours to the south have already seized the opportunity.

Minnesota Soybean Processors (MnSP) has announced plans to build a $240 million soybean processing plant in North Dakota.

Officials with the cooperative say they have selected a site on 150 acres near Spiritwood, located in eastern North Dakota.

The facility would produce 900,000 tons of soybean meal and 490 million pounds of soybean oil per year, with half of the oil producing biodiesel.

The plant would be the first of its kind in North Dakota.

The cooperative also operates a soybean crush facility in Brewster, Minnesota.