November 2, 2007

Bunge to end soy processing at Mississippi plant

Bunge North America said it would end soy processing operations at its plant in Marks, Mississippi by the end of the year.

However, the facility would be kept open as a grain elevator and would include corn and wheat in addition to soy.

Bunge said it will honor all soy contracts as well as soy meal and oil contracts.

The plant will begin posting bids for wheat and corn in the near future and will begin receiving grain with the 2008 wheat harvest. The facility will continue receiving soy without interruption.

The plant's age and inefficiency, coupled with insufficient local bean supply resulted in plans to end processing at the plant, said Greg Bechtel, vice-president and general manager of Bunge Oilseed Processing.