COSHOCTON, OHIO, U.S. — Coshocton Grain has begun construction on a new soybean processing plant at its site in Coshocton, according to the Coshocton Tribune. The facility is expected to be completed by the end of March and operational by July.

Rhoda Crown, chief executive officer of Coshocton Grain, told the Coshocton Tribune that once the facility is up and running it is expected to process an average of 3.36 million bushels of soybeans every year that would produce 81,000 tons of soybean meal and 12,600 tons of soybean oil.

“We were looking to take the company in a new direction and have more emphasis on the bean deliveries versus the corn deliveries,” Crown said. “But, the beauty of the facility is that you have a bean processor and corn processor in the same county. I don’t know that there is another county in Ohio that would have both like that.”

Crown told the Coshocton Tribune that the plant will be able to accept soybeans in excess of 14% moisture, which will be a much higher moisture level than the company currently accepts. Additionally, the company is expected to use about 33% of the available soybeans in Coshocton and surrounding seven counties, she said.

“Everybody is very excited for us,” Crown said. “They’re very happy it’s a new viable market for the beans. It’s a new direction for us and I think it will be a great thing for the customers and shareholders, as well as the community.”