SOUTH DAKOTA SOYBEAN PROCESSORS LLC

Previous wording

We could be affected by inflation which could have a material and adverse effect on our business. We have experienced and anticipate continued effects of inflation on costs such as soybeans, materials, labor, natural gas, and electricity. In response to inflationary pressures, the U.S. Federal Reserve has raised interest rates, which has resulted in uncertainty and volatility in financial markets and increased borrowing costs under our revolving credit facilities. Although inflation has subsided the past few months, inflation and its effects, many of which are beyond our control, could escalate in the future. We may be unable to pass on all of our increased costs as a result of inflation to customers. Accordingly, inflationary pressures could have a material and adverse effect on our business.

Current wording

We are affected by inflation. We have experienced and anticipate continued effects of inflation on costs such as soybeans, materials, labor, natural gas, and electricity. In response to inflationary pressures, the U.S. Federal Reserve has raised interest rates, which has resulted in uncertainty and volatility in financial markets and increased borrowing costs under our revolving credit facilities. Although inflation has subsided the past few months, inflation and its effects, many of which are beyond our control, could escalate in the future. We may be unable to pass on all of our increased costs as a result of inflation to customers. Accordingly, inflationary pressures could have a material and adverse effect on our business.

Previous wording

Our business operations and demand for our products are highly dependent on certain global and regional factors that are outside our control. The level of demand for our products is increasingly affected by regional and global demographic and macroeconomic conditions, including population growth rates and changes in standards of living. A significant downturn in global economic growth, or recessionary conditions in major geographic regions, may lead to reduced demand for agricultural commodities which could adversely affect our business and results of operations. Additionally, weak global economic conditions and turmoil in global financial markets, including constraints on the availability of credit, have in the past adversely affected, and may in the future continue to adversely affect, the financial condition and creditworthiness of some of our customers, suppliers and other counterparties which in turn may negatively impact our business.

Current wording

Our business operations and demand for our products are highly dependent on certain global and regional factors which are outside our control. The level of demand for our products is increasingly affected by regional and global demographic and macroeconomic conditions, including population growth rates and changes in standards of living. A significant downturn in global economic growth, or recessionary conditions in major geographic regions, may lead to reduced demand for agricultural commodities which could adversely affect our business and results of operations. Additionally, weak global economic conditions and turmoil in global financial markets, including constraints on the availability of credit, have in the past adversely affected, and may in the future continue to adversely affect, the financial condition and creditworthiness of some of our customers, suppliers and other counterparties which in turn may negatively impact our business.

Previous wording

We face risks related to health epidemics, pandemics, and similar outbreaks. While we have effectively managed through the risks arising from the pandemic caused by COVID-19, we could be materially affected in the future if a more severe variant or other disease would arise causing disruptions far more severe than COVID-19. We may be unable to perform fully on our contractual obligations, our supply chain and logistical networks may be affected, and costs and working capital needs may increase. These cost increases may not be fully recoverable or adequately covered by insurance. In addition, demand for certain products that we produce, particularly biofuels and ingredients that go into food that support the food services channels, could be materially impacted from a prolonged regional or global outbreak, leading to government-imposed lockdowns, quarantines, or other restrictions.

Current wording

We face risks related to health epidemics, pandemics, and similar outbreaks. While we have effectively managed through the risks arising from the pandemic caused by COVID-19, we could be materially affected in the future if a more severe variant or other disease would arise causing disruptions far more severe than COVID-19. We may be unable to perform fully on our contractual obligations, our supply chain and logistical networks may be affected, and costs and working capital needs may increase. These cost increases may not be fully recoverable or adequately covered by insurance. In addition, demand for certain products, particularly biofuels and ingredients incorporated into food that support the food services channels, could be materially impacted from a prolonged regional or global outbreak, leading to government-imposed lockdowns, quarantines, or other restrictions.

Previous wording

We operate in an intensely competitive industry, and we may not be able to continue to compete effectively. We may not be able to continue to successfully penetrate the markets for our products. The soybean processing business is highly competitive, and other companies presently in the market, or that could enter the market, could adversely affect prices for the products we sell. We compete with other soybean processors such as Archer-Daniels Midland (ADM), Cargill, Bunge, and Ag Processing (AGP), among others, all of which are capable of producing significantly greater quantities of soybean products than we do and may achieve higher operating efficiencies and lower costs due to their scale. AGP's processing facility in Aberdeen, South Dakota, could increase the competition for soybeans and adversely affect our business.

Current wording

We operate in an intensely competitive industry, and we may not be able to continue to compete effectively. We may be unable to continue to successfully penetrate the markets for our products. The soybean processing business is highly competitive, and other companies presently in the market, or that could enter the market, could adversely affect prices for the products we sell. We compete with major soybean processors such as Archer-Daniels Midland (ADM), Cargill, Bunge, and Ag Processing (AGP), among others, all of which are capable of producing significantly greater quantities of soybean products than we do and may achieve higher operating efficiencies and lower costs due to their scale. AGP's processing facility in Aberdeen, South Dakota, could increase the competition for soybeans and adversely affect our business.

Previous wording

Our profitability is influenced by the protein and moisture content of the soybeans in the local growing area. The northern portion of the western soybean belt, where our two soybean crushing plants are located, typically produces a lower protein content soybean, which results in lower protein soybean meal. Because lower protein soybean meal is sold at a lower price, we may not be able to operate as profitably as soybean processing plants in other parts of the country. If adverse weather conditions further reduce the protein content of the soybeans grown in our area, our business may be materially harmed because we will be required to sell our soybean meal at discounted prices to our customers.

Current wording

Our profitability is influenced by the protein and moisture content of soybeans in the local area. The northern portion of the western soybean belt, where our two soybean crushing plants are located, typically produces a lower protein content soybean, which results in lower protein soybean meal. Because lower protein soybean meal is sold at a lower price, we may not be able to operate as profitably as soybean processing plants in other parts of the country. If adverse weather conditions further reduce the protein content of the soybeans grown in our area, our business may be materially harmed because we will be required to sell our soybean meal at discounted prices to our customers.

Previous wording

We face risk associated with the oilseed processing plant near Mitchell, South Dakota, including cost overruns, construction delays and operational issues. Our Board of Managers approved the investment, development and construction of the approximately $500 million oilseed processing plant to be located near Mitchell, South Dakota, which will provide area agricultural producers with new markets for their soybeans and other oilseed crops. We have agreed to invest approximately $100 million into the project, which will be our largest single investment in our history. We are also acting as a guarantor on our subsidiary’s, High Plains Partners’, investment into the project. The plant is intended to be fully operational in the fourth quarter of 2025. There can be no assurance that actual construction costs for the plant will not exceed current estimates, that we will not have to make additional investment into the plant beyond commitments, that the plant will be operational based on our anticipated timing, or that plant will be profitable.

Current wording

We face significant risks associated with our new oilseed processing plant in Mitchell, South Dakota, including cost overruns, construction delays and operational issues. Our investment in the development and construction of our Mitchell facility, the cost of which will be approximately $500 million, is significant. We have contractually committed to invest approximately $100 million into the project, which will be our largest single investment in history. We are also acting as a guarantor on our subsidiary’s, High Plains Partners, investment into the project, which is scheduled for completion by the fourth quarter of 2025. There is no assurance that actual construction costs for the plant will not exceed current estimates, that we will not have to make additional investment or commitment into the project, that the plant will be operational based on our anticipated timing, or that the plant will be profitable.

Previous wording

We could face increased operating costs if we were required to segregate genetically modified soybeans and the products generated from these soybeans. Over the last several years, some soybean producers in our area have been planting genetically modified, or GMO, soybeans, commonly known as Round-up Ready beans. Neither the U.S. Department of Agriculture nor the FDA currently requires that genetically modified soybeans be segregated from other soybeans. If these agencies or our customers were to require that we process these genetically modified soybeans separately, we would face increased storage and processing costs and our profitability could be harmed.

Current wording

We could face increased operating costs if we are required to segregate genetically modified soybeans and the products generated from these soybeans. Over the last several years, some soybean producers in our area have been planting genetically modified, or GMO, soybeans, commonly known as Round-up Ready beans. Neither the U.S. Department of Agriculture nor the FDA currently requires that genetically modified soybeans be segregated from other soybeans. If these agencies or our customers were to require that we process these genetically modified soybeans separately, we would face increased storage and processing costs, and our profitability could be harmed.

Previous wording

There is no public market for our units. There is no public trading market for our units. While we have established a private online matching service in order to facilitate the transfer of units among our members, the transfer of units on this service is severely limited. The service has been designed to comply with federal tax laws and IRS regulations governing a “qualified matching service,” as well as state and federal securities laws. Under these rules, there are detailed timelines and restrictions that must be followed with respect to offers and sales of units. As a result, units held by our members may not be easily resold and members may be required to hold their units indefinitely. Even if a member is able to resell units, the price may be less than the member's original investment for the units or may otherwise be unattractive to the member.

Current wording

There is no public market for our units. There is no public trading market for our units. While we have established a private online matching service in order to facilitate the transfer of units among our members, the transfer of units on this service is severely limited. The service has been designed to comply with federal tax laws and IRS regulations governing a “qualified matching service,” as well as state and federal securities laws. Under these rules, there are detailed timelines and restrictions that must be followed with respect to offers and sales of units. As a result, capital units held by our members may not be easily resold and members may be required to hold their units indefinitely. Even if a member is able to resell units, the price may be less than the member's original investment for the units or may otherwise be unattractive to the member.

Previous wording

We rely on information technology and any failure, inadequacy, interruption, or security lapse of that technology, including any cybersecurity incidents, could harm our ability to operate its business effectively. Hackers, government-backed threat actors, and organized crime may be able to penetrate our network or systems, misappropriate or compromise our confidential information or that of third parties, create system disruptions, corrupt data, or cause shutdowns. Using different tools and methodologies the threat actors may be able to deploy malware that attacks our systems or our supplier’s systems, or otherwise exploits any security vulnerabilities of our facilities and equipment. Such vulnerabilities in our systems can also occur due to a lack of robustness, quality, and integrity, in our systems as a whole. While we employ a number of technical, organizational, and physical protective measures, these measures may fail to prevent or detect all attacks on or weaknesses in its systems.

Current wording

We rely on information technology and any failure, inadequacy, interruption, or security lapse of that technology, including any cybersecurity incidents, could harm our ability to operate its business effectively. Hackers, government-backed threat actors, and organized crime may be able to penetrate our network or systems, misappropriate or compromise our confidential information or that of third parties, create system disruptions, corrupt data, or cause shutdowns. Using different tools and methodologies the threat actors may be able to deploy malware that attacks our systems or our supplier’s systems, or otherwise exploits any security vulnerabilities of our facilities and equipment. Vulnerabilities in our systems can also occur due to a lack of robustness, quality, and integrity, in our systems as a whole. While we employ a number of technical, organizational, and physical protective measures, these measures may fail to prevent or detect all attacks on or weaknesses in its systems.