Market News & Headlines >> U.S. December Soy Crush Up Slightly

U.S. oilseed processors crushed roughly 1.0% more soybeans in December than they did in November, according to Monday afternoon’s USDA Fats and Oils report. 

The December soybean crush totaled 5.011 million short tons or 167.03 million bushels, compared with the November crush of 4.974 million tons or 165.80 million bushels, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). 

USDA only started reporting the monthly crush in October, starting with data from May of 2015, so there is no year earlier comparison. The NASS report replaces the Census Bureau Fats and Oils report, which was discontinued in July of 2011 due to budgetary reasons. 

The NASS-reported crush was 5.9% larger than the National Oilseed Processors Association member December crush of 157.71 million bushels reported on Jan. 13. The NOPA December crush was up 1.0% from November, but down 4.6% from a year earlier. 

NASS reported U.S. soybean processors held soyoil stocks of 1.577 billion pounds as of Jan. 31, up 2.1% from 1.545 billion at the end of November.  NOPA members reported Jan. 31 soyoil stocks of 1.481 billion pounds. 

Processor stocks of soybean cake and meal declined to 270,421 short tons at the end of December from 342,692 at the end of November, NASS reported.