The biodiesel industry contributes to the strength of U.S. soybean markets, an important value for soybean farmers and their communities. Not only do biodiesel plants purchase soybean oil and diversify soy demand, they strengthen rural communities and economies by supporting job and revenue growth.
“Biodiesel helps revitalize rural communities across the country,” says Bob Metz, a soy checkoff farmer-leader from West Browns Valley, South Dakota. “A strong industry brings good jobs to rural areas, builds new facilities to house those jobs and provides a boost to local tax revenue.”
As the biodiesel industry grows and generates demand for soybean oil, the soybean-crushing industry benefits from the additional business. These benefits support soybean farmers and rural communities across the country, especially those near crushing facilities, like Metz’s operation in eastern South Dakota.
“There are three farmer-owned soybean-crushing facilities in communities near me,” says Metz. “Biodiesel production creates more demand from those crushing facilities and crushing facilities nationwide – meaning higher soybean return for farmers.”
Metz notes biodiesel also provides farmers and other citizens of rural communities a unique opportunity to invest in the future of their local economy.
“Soybean farmers developed the biodiesel industry to create an alternative source of demand for soybean oil,” explains Metz. “Many of the biodiesel plants started from local investments by farmers and others in the surrounding community. So the success of the industry and the impacts it has on soybean processing results in additional profits for many farmers.”
Source:unitedsoybean.org