Mid-Iowa Cooperative is spear­­heading plans to build a new soybean crushing plant near Shell Rock that will create a surge in demand for Iowa soybean growers.

The Shell Rock Soy Processing (SRSP) plant will crush 38.5 million bushels of soybeans an­­nually, or 110,000 bushels daily, and create 50 to 60 jobs. Groundbreaking for the $270 million project is slated for late this month, pending state and local ap­­provals.

“We’re positioned to extract all the val­ue possible from lo­­c­­ally grown soybeans,” said Mid-Iowa Coop CEO Mike Kinley. “This plant can supply both food and fuel needs, and it will bring Butler County and surrounding areas into the center ...