SC Ports boost soybean exports after facility closure

In the spring, South Carolina faced an increase in demand for local farmer’s soybean production following the closure of a large soybean processing facility. 

According to a news release, SC Ports, the South Carolina Department of Agriculture and other private stakeholders, partnered to fill the export gap. Even with the closure, the Port of Charleston saw three million bushels of soybeans exported between May and August.  

“Everyone involved — shippers, traders, grain facilities, logistics service providers—showed great commitment in working through a challenging situation,” Phil Padgett, interim SC Ports president and CEO, said in the release. “We’re also grateful to the ocean carriers, including Evergreen, CMA-CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, and ONE, that engaged commercially to support the effort. As the 2025 harvest approaches, we look to build on this momentum into the new season with new soybean export consolidation capacity.” 

Soybeans were loaded from Inland Port Dillon and grain facilities around the coast to export, seeing more than 2,800 containers shipped, the release said. The shipments boosted exports at the facility by 35% for the first two months of fiscal year 2026.  

“By working together, we were able to quickly develop new soybean markets and make a real difference for South Carolina farmers this year,” Hugh Weathers, South Carolina commissioner of agriculture, said in the release. “SC Ports’ work to develop the Inland Port Dillon in recent years is a huge benefit to the agribusiness industry. In addition, I thank the General Assembly for authorizing the Growing Agribusiness Fund, which has allowed us to move quickly to bolster our agribusiness industry.” 

South Carolina soybean farmers harvested their largest crop last year of 390,000 acres, according to the release. 

It’s a timely issue, as soybean farming has taken center stage globally, with China, the world’s top soybean buyer, has largely stopped buying U.S. soybeans this year, as retaliation to President Donald Trump’s new round of tariffs, according to Yahoo! Finance.