Dive Brief:

• A Raleigh, N.C., soybean processing plant operated by Cargill will be idled this spring.
• The company will still operate an elevator at the plant and is attributing the decision to lower U.S. soymeal demand following South America's large harvests.
• The record crops in Brazil and Argentina could lead other Southeast processors to idle due to larger soymeal imports. Midwest processors aren't expected to be affected.

Dive Insight:

It's not out of the ordinary for these processing plants to shut down for maintenance for weeks at a time during spring and summer months. One upside: The larger than normal imports from South America are good for hog and poultry farmers in the Southeast, as the imported soymeal could prove more cost-effective. That's sure to come as welcome news given the recent fears that a U.S. PEDV outbreak could drive prices up.