SEPTEMBER 2015 • VOL. 10 • ISSUE 5

DISSECTING THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE INSIDE THE BEANThe nutritional components your customers want out of your soybeans and how they all add to your bottom line See more on page 4

Meal quality and demand See page 12

High oleic soybeans go West See page 14

Seed selection success See page 16

The joy of cooking soy See page 18

TABLE OF CONTENTSCOVER PACKAGE

04 | THE VALUE INSIDE THE BEAN The true worth of your soybeans is within the individual components

04 | • Fatty Acids and Oil 05 | • Amino Acids and Protein

06 | • Balancing Amino Acids • Meal: Where’s the Beef?• Specialized Meals

07 | • Making of Protein and Oil

08 | • Trans-Fat Labeling • High Oleic to the Rescue

09 | • High Oleic and Commodity Oil

10 | • Isoflavones Fight Disease • Consumer Attitudes on Soy

11 | • Omega-3s in Soybean Oil• Soy’s Complete Protein

SOYBEAN MEAL

12 | MEAL’S INNER QUALITIESWorking to keep meal quality and demand high

13 | QUALITY IS A CLICK AWAY Visit Soybean Quality Toolbox for high-yield, high-quality varieties

SOYBEAN OIL

14 | GO WEST, YOUNG BEANS Oil sales managers’ insights about high oleic soybean oil

15 | FLIPPED THINKING Increasing oil content could improve meal quality

15 | FOOD FACTS Five things about partially hydrogenated oils

CUSTOMER FOCUS

16 | SEED SELECTION Know which pests plague your field first

17 | THINKING AHEAD Implement best management practices now for next year

FREEDOM TO OPERATE

18 | THE JOY OF COOKING SOY Soy-checkoff farmer-leader helps to separate soy food myths from facts

19 | GLOBAL AGENDA Organizations work together to tell farmers’ stories

GUEST COLUMN

20 | THE GOLD STANDARD Increasing the value of soybean meal for poultry

21 | POWER OF INVOLVEMENT Women soybean farmer-leaders benefit state boards

FARM FEATURE

22 | SPREADING THE KNOWLEDGE Farmer-leader highlights need for quality with seed customers

STATE & MAIN

23 | STATE NEWS ROUNDUP

Send your comments and subscription inquiries to btb@unitedsoybean.org,

or write to United Soybean Board

914 Spruce St. St. Louis, MO 63102

BEYOND THE BEAN STAFFPublisher Neil Caskey

Editor Susan Luke

Editorial Director Nancy Hallahan

Staff Writers

Jillian Baker Greta Bierbaum Jeff Brown Nicole Hasheider Kayla Hedrick Heather Manhardt Ginger Merritt Kelsey Ruthman Laura Smith Andy Teague

SOCIALBetween issues of Beyond the Bean, stay up to date on the soy checkoff:

www.UnitedSoybean.org

United Soybean Board

@UnitedSoy

1 Meal makes up 80 percent of a soybean and is a major protein source for animal ag, your top customer.

2 High protein levels fuel muscles and vital functions of animals.

3 Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. People and animals need different ones to function.

4 Animal agriculture eats 97 percent of your soybean meal.

5 Nitrogen produces protein in the bean, while phosphorus and potassium are two of several minerals for livestock.

6 Energy is available from soybean meal now, but packing in even more can add more value.

7 Isoflavones help soybeans fight off stress and appear to help humans fight off certain cancers.

8 Oil makes up 20 percent of a soybean and is used in countless products for human consumption.

9 Various different fatty-acid profiles affect oil functionality and nutritional content.

10 People are the biggest users of your soybean oil, widely labeled as vegetable oil.

11 Soybean oil is high in polyunsaturated fat, which provides several heart-health benefits.

12 Soybean oil is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids that the human body needs but can’t produce.

13 High oleic soybean oil performs in high-heat applications, such as frying, but doesn’t contain harmful trans fats.

14 You, the farmer, play a major role in making sure your soybeans continue to meet the nutritional needs of your customers.

15 Selecting seed varieties high in protein and oil helps you control the quality of your soybeans.

Your soybeans are made of many components, each with value for different customers. The images on the cover represent all of the value inside each of your soybeans. Find out below why each is so important.

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The pieces to your profitability

Now that you know the pieces, turn to page 4 to find out how to put them together in a way that provides the most value for you and your customers.

WHY DO YOU INCLUDE SOY IN YOUR ANIMAL-FEED RATIONS?FENCEPOSTDan Flanagan Poultry Farmer Campbellsville, Kentucky Soybean meal has high- protein content, especially when compared to other plant protein sources. It is the

dominant protein supplement used in poultry diets because of its excellent amino acid profile that complements that of corn, the primary energy source in poultry diets.

Thomas Titus Hog Farmer Elkhart, Illinois Soybeans play an integral role on our farm, from fueling our equipment with soy biodiesel to the

importance of soybean meal on our swine farm. Soy’s feeding value is unsurpassed by any other plant protein available and is essential in all of our swine diets.

Butch Wilson Aquaculture Farmer Browns, Alabama We’ve used soy as the protein source in our feed rations since 1998. We’re always looking for better

feed, not cheaper feed, and soybeans provide the consistent, high-quality nutrition that we need for our rations, and that’s why we’ve never considered any alternatives.

FROM THE SOY CHECKOFF CHAIRMAN

THERE’S VALUE IN THESE PARTS Know your soybeans’ components, and grow your profit opportunity

Go and split open a pod in one of your soybean fields. Look at those little beans.

It’s hard to believe that each of them packs such a huge nutritional punch – the likes of which you can see on the cover of this issue of Beyond the Bean.(And check out the key on the page to the left explaining what each picture represents.)

The bundle of nutrition that soybeans provide our customers – from poultry to pork to fish to humans – is the reason our customers keep coming back for more. And that’s why we’re devoting this issue of Beyond the Bean to explaining soy’s nutritional offerings and the roles the vari-ous nutrients play in the lives of the chickens, turkeys, pigs, fish and people who consume them.

This is important for soybean farmers like you and me to know about because, just like Apple must anticipate the

future needs of its customers, U.S. soybean farmers must anticipate the future needs of ours. Increasingly, the animal agriculture industry, our No. 1 customer, looks for different things in the soybean meal that goes into animal feed. The food industry, our No. 2 customer, also has evolving needs that soybean oil is uniquely positioned to meet.

So, there’s an increasing opportunity for us to for-mulate different versions of soybean meal for different customer groups. That’s in addition to growing soybeans that produce various kinds of oil that fulfill an entirely different set of demands from the food industry (speaking of which, read more about high oleic soybean oil on page 9).

What can we soybean farmers do? The answers to this ques-tion will come over time, as in-novation continues to produce

new varieties to grow on our farms that meet these various needs.

But we don’t have to wait to take action. There are a few important things we can do now:

• Consider growing high oleic varieties, if you live in one of the states where they’re available.

• Make sure whatever varieties you plant contain high protein and oil levels.

• Above all, stay informed about your soybeans. Be as well informed about them as you are about the machinery you drive or the inputs you use.

Information is power, and meeting the changing needs of our customers will ensure that our kids and grandkids

have the same profit opportunities that we do, maybe more.

Good luck with harvest,

Bob Haselwood, USB Chairman Berryton, Kansas, soybean farmer

It’s hard to believe that the soybeans in each of the pods growing in your fields pack

so much of the nutrition your wide-ranging customers need: from protein, amino acids, energy and minerals for live-stock and poultry, to edible oil

that holds a whole set of other nutritional benefits for humans.

It’s these advantages that keep customers of all species coming back for seconds. And thirds. And fourths. So, knowing about them helps keep

America’s soybean farmers delivering cutting-edge value in a global soy industry that’s evolving every day.

On the next few pages, take a tour of a soybean and see the many nutritional benefits

that hold the most value for your various customers. They’re the same benefits that keep soy demand, and your profitability, high.

ORDER UP! The bundle of valuable nutrition your soybeans serve keeps your customers coming back for moreBy Jeff Brown and Heather Manhardt

Fats are often stigmatized as being “bad” or “unhealthy.” However, fats are universally considered to be an important part of a balanced diet because humans need certain fats to maintain optimum health. There are differences between the types of fats in terms of both nutrition and functionality.

Polyunsaturated Fats: Soybean oil really shines when it comes to polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and in particular, the essential fatty acids that are required for normal body

functions. Both the essential omega-3 fat alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and the essential omega-6 polyunsaturated fat linoleic acid (LA) are found in soybean oil. Soybean oil is one of the few non-fish sources of omega-3s, and it also is one of the most concentrated sources of omega-6s. Polyunsaturated fats also help reduce LDL cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease and stroke.

Monounsaturated Fats: Soybean oil is a good source of monounsaturated fats, which

can help reduce LDL cholesterol levels in your blood, and in turn, can lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Saturated Fats: Soybean oil is low in saturated fats, which is good because a higher intake of saturated fats is associated with higher blood levels of total cholesterol, including LDL, or what’s referred to as “bad

cholesterol,” which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines recommend consuming less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids and replacing them with monounsaturated and/or polyunsaturated fatty acids.

• 7.8 grams of polyunsaturated fat- 6.9 grams of linoleic acid (omega-6)- 0.9 grams of alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3)

• 3.2 grams of monounsaturated fat

• 2.0 grams of saturated fat

Source: Personal Nutrition, 6th ed., Boyle & Anderson, Thomson/Wadsworth, 2007

One Tablespoon of Soybean Oil Contains:

Did you know? Soybean oil is the primary commercial source of

alpha-tocopherol, also known as vitamin E, for people. Vitamin

E is a fat-soluble nutrient that acts as an antioxidant, helping to

protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals.

Source: QUALISOY

24%

61%

15%

39%

10%

51%

77%

9%

14%

6%

2%

92%

Here’s the skinny: Soybeans are a good source for important fats

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36% PROTEIN (essential and non-essential amino acids)

Amino acids: Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. They’re required for a variety of functions in a human being or animal. Essential amino acids are those that the animal is unable to produce in adequate quantities and must be supplied in the feed. Limiting essential amino acids, such as lysine, methionine, threonine and tryptophan, are those most likely to be deficient in diets when a given set of feed

ingredients is used. Soybean meal has an amino-acid profile that balances well with corn in animal diets. For an animal nutritionist formulating a feed ration, amino acids are a key consideration.

Protein: While crude protein is an indicator of protein quantity, it does not describe protein quality, which relates more to the amino-acid profile. Measuring amino acids is

difficult and expensive, but technology to measure protein quickly and accurately is becoming more widespread.

Increased energy potential and the soybean’s hidden gems: MineralsEnergy: Soybean meal supplies some energy to feed rations, and the soy checkoff is funding research to add even more. By increasing digestible sugars,

such as sucrose, and decreasing indigestible substances, such as a kind of carbohydrate called oligosaccharides, soybean meal could gain value as an even better animal-feed ingredient.

Minerals: Different animals require different minerals. Soybean meal provides magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and several other important minerals.

Amino acids: The soybean’s secret weapon

+16 OTHER AMINO ACIDS

METHIONINE

TRYPTOPHAN

LYSINE

19% INSOLUBLE CARBOHYDRATES

(fiber)

19% OIL

4% ASH (minerals)

13% MOISTURE

9% SOLUBLE CARBOHYDRATES

THREONINE

WHAT’S INSIDE A

SOYBEAN?

WHAT’S INSIDE A

SOYBEAN?

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Amino acids can be compared to a barrel built with planks of different lengths. Just as the barrel will only hold as much water as the shortest plank will allow, feed will only benefit an animal as much as the most limiting of the amino acids will allow. An overabundance of amino acids won’t do the animal any good and could cause environmental issues, so researchers focus on lifting the level of the shortest board, or most limiting amino acid. A perfectly balanced diet means less feed, energy and amino acids are lost to the environment, which benefits people, animals and the planet.

Not all feed ingredients that deliver protein to the diet are created equal. The balance, consistency and availability of amino acids in other ingredients may be less desirable than in soybean meal.

Amino acids: Balancing proportion deepens meal benefits

Specialized meals: The potential Next Big Thing in soybeans University of Minnesota soybean researcher Seth Naeve, Ph.D., thinks the industry could be close to segregating the meal supply based on the animal species to which it will be fed, optimizing the nutritional profile of that meal for its user. “The more sophisticated we are, the more we can channel soybeans with specific traits for specific uses to specific customers,” he says. “We can still have a big commodity, but we can determine where the soybeans go so that everybody doesn’t have to take the average soybean and do their own thing with it. But somebody who wants soy for a specific purpose can buy it based on that trait. And that would create more value in the system.”

Meal: Where’s the beef? In a typical year, cattle in the United States eat the meal from only about 12 percent of the domestic supply of U.S. soybeans, whereas poultry consume about half and swine eat another third. Why don’t cattle eat more? Because of the way the cattle digestive system functions, the protein quality and types of proteins that a farmer can feed to cattle are much broader, Ken Bryant, Cargill swine nutritionist, says. They also need fiber, so a high-fiber product such as DDGS works great for cattle. Swine and poultry nutritionists, on the other hand, want to limit fiber intake as much as possible, so soybean meal is a better fit.

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“We set the amino acid specifications for the diet, and then look at various feedstuffs available and how they would meet that requirement. The cost of the soy product relative to its nutrient content would determine how it would rank in the formulation. If you could have soybean meal higher in one of those key amino acids versus something like DDGS, or if you could have a higher-energy soybean meal, it would give it more value in the computer matrix.” Ken Bryant, Cargill swine nutritionist

Poultry: 52%

Swine: 30%

Dairy: 7%

Beef: 5%

Other Species: 3%

Pet Food: 2%

Aquaculture: 1%

Animal consumption of U.S. soybean meal, domestically

Protein and oil: How Mother Nature helps soybean quality and valueProtein and oil are what your customers demand, so high amounts of those components are what make soybeans more valuable. Here’s a look at how soybean plants produce those components to make them worth more.

Through a series of chemical reactions, a bacterial enzyme in soybean root nodules converts nitrogen gas found in the atmosphere into different nitrogen compounds that can be used by the developing soybean plant, including producing protein and storing it in the seed.

This process begins early in seedling development. When the plant dies, it releases the remaining nitrogen back into the soil for subsequent crops. By taking nitrogen from the air, this process turns a resource that’s free to the farmer into a very valuable commodity.

Oil is also the product of a free, but fickle, resource: the weather. Where protein is built up over an entire growing season, oil production happens late in the year on warm and sunny autumn days. Soybeans grown in cool and cloudy conditions are likely to have lower oil levels.

1. Select varieties that will produce higher levels of protein and oil. Ask your seed dealer for them, or visit www.GrowSoybeanValue.com.

2. Maturity group is important, too – growing the correct maturity will help ensure the plant experiences optimum weather conditions at the right growth stages.

3. Minimizing stress at crucial times in the growth cycle allows the plant to focus on quality. So be on the lookout for insects that chew on leaves and diseases such as sudden death syndrome.

4. Improving root health and organic matter in the soil gives the plant a better nitrogen reserve for when the bacteria start to die off at end of the year.

GROWING SEASON

OFF SEASON

What you can do So now that you know how the plant produces protein and oil, you can increase the levels in your crop. Here are four ways:

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“Protein and oil are the most valuable parts of the soybean, but they’re also the parts that make up the yield of the soybean. So depositing more oil and more protein on an acre basis gives us more yield. Figuring out how to make more of those gives us more profit.”

Seth Naeve, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics

Oil: Trans-fat labeling lowers soybean oil demand Soybean oil remains the most-used vegetable oil in the United States, but demand for food has declined sharply since the U.S. trans-fats-labeling requirement took effect in 2006. This greatly reduced domestic demand for partially hydrogenated soybean oil. Food manufacturers primarily have shifted to using palm oil and high oleic canola oil to replace partially hydrogenated soybean oil in baking and frying fats. Global palm oil production first surpassed soybean oil production in 2004/05 but now is almost one-third greater than soybean oil production. U.S. imports of palm oil more than doubled between 2005 and 2012.

Making a comeback with high oleic soybean oil While palm oil and high oleic canola oil have temporarily filled the void left by commodity soybean oil’s removal from baking and frying applications, high oleic soybean oil is poised to take back markets. In the meantime, interesterified soybean oil provides food-industry customers with a functional shortening that does not contain trans fatty acids.

201620182023

Visit www.soyinnovation.com/varietal-availability/ for more on high oleic availability.

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EXPECTED GROWTH OF HIGH OLEIC SOYBEANS

SOYBEAN OIL

PALM OIL

CANOLA OIL

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture and Foreign Agricultural Service

U.S. FOOD USE OF SOYBEAN OIL, PALM OIL AND CANOLA OIL BY MARKETING YEAR

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GLOBAL PRODUCTION OF SOYBEAN OIL, PALM OIL AND CANOLA OIL BY MARKETING YEAR

High oleic and commodity soybean oil both bring benefits to the tableHigh oleic soybean oil and commodity soybean oil satisfy different needs and benefit different customers. There is a place for both types of soybean oil in the market, and demand for one will not take away demand for the other. Because there is a market for both commodity soybeans and high oleic soybeans, all farmers will benefit from an increase in demand.

SHARED BENEFITS• Competitive-yielding

varieties available• U.S.-grown, domestic oil

• Low cost to customer• Offers profit potential for farmers

• Balanced fatty acid profile• Both oils can be interesterified

• Part of a balanced diet and an excellent source

of basic fat

HIGH OLEIC SOYBEAN OIL

COMMODITY SOYBEAN OIL

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Best utilized for salad dressings and cooking oil, which accounts for 40%

of all domestic commodity oil usage.

Improved nutritional profile

Best utilized for commercial

baking and frying

Added stabilityImproved

functionality and longer fry lifeA good source

of beneficial omega-3s

Grown across

the U.S.

Did you know? Interesterification is a completely green process of pushing oil through a column of enzymes, which rearranges its makeup. The result is a better blend of functional shortening.

Soy health: Top takeaways for USB’s 2015 Consumer Attitudes & Nutrition Study

TOP THREE SOYFOOD PRODUCTS THAT CONSUMERS HAVE TRIED:

The most common health benefit cited by consumers for soyfoods is that they are good sources of protein. Six in 10 consumers view

soybean oil as “healthy.”

Most U.S. consumers view soybean oil as healthful but don’t realize that most of the bottles labeled “vegetable oil” in the supermarket actually contain soybean oil. Recent market research shows that if shoppers were aware of this, they would be more likely to purchase it.

The percentage of consumers who say they would be more likely to buy vegetable oil over another type of oil if it was labeled as “100% U.S.-grown soybean oil” increased from 31 percent in 2014 to 39 percent in 2015.

Most cooking oil on grocery shelves labeled as vegetable oil is actually 100 percent soybean oil.

However, 68 percent of consumers say they use vegetable oil.

53 percent of consumers say they are aware of soybean oil, but only 10 percent say they use it.

Vegetable oil accurately labeled as soybean oil in Schnucks, a regional grocery store with nearly 100 stores in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin.

A major health benefit for humans eating soyfoods comes from compounds naturally produced by the soybean plant for its own defense.

Isoflavones are constituents found in the soybean that appear to reduce the risk of heart disease and certain forms of cancer. Scientists have found that production of isoflavones increases in soybean plants during times of drought or in the presence of insects and other pests.

Eating more soyfoods, particularly soy nuts, edamame, tofu and textured vegetable protein, is the best way to take advantage of isoflavones.

“If you eat soyfoods, you get lots of isoflavones; if you don’t, you get negligible amounts,” says Mark Messina, Ph.D., an internationally recognized expert on the health effects of soy and a nutritionist who serves as a consultant for the soy checkoff. “Isoflavones are found in many other foods

besides soy, but the amounts are so small that they are nutritionally irrelevant.”

Isoflavones have experienced a 180-degree shift in the minds of doctors and dietitians in recent years in relation to breast cancer. Prior to 2009, the consensus among the medical community was that breast cancer patients should limit isoflavone intake. However, a large body of recently-published research has health professionals recommending soyfoods. An emerging consensus is that breast cancer patients who consume isoflavones are less likely to experience a recurrence or die from their disease.

The checkoff, through its www.SoyConnection.com website and other outreach to the medical community, helped achieve this shift.

Isoflavones: The component that helps soybeans fight stress helps people fight disease

Source: Vila-Donat et al. Food Chemistry, 174.487-94 (2015).

SOYBEANS have 3,000x as much isoflavones as CHICKPEAS ,

9,500x as much as PEAS and 156,000x as much as FAVA BEANS .

More than three-quarters of Americans (77 percent) consider food products made with soy to be either very or somewhat healthful.

1. Soy milk - 51% 2. Cereal/energy bar - 37%

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57 percent of consumers don’t know the base ingredient of the vegetable oil they use.

3. Edamame - 34%

Soy health: Top takeaways for USB’s 2015 Consumer Attitudes & Nutrition Study

SOY PRODUCTS

1 OZ. SERVING SIZE

GRAMS OF PROTEIN

13 11 3 1 1

Soy protein: The complete package for the peopleSoy protein is a complete protein, meaning that it provides all nine amino acids that your body can’t produce on its own. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially recognized the cholesterol-lowering effects of soy protein in 1999 with the approval of a health claim stating that 25 grams of soy protein per day may reduce the risk of heart disease. According to USB’s most recent Consumer

Attitudes & Nutrition Survey, three quarters of Americans who say they’re aware of the health benefits of soy say they’re more likely to include more soy in their diets.

Here’s a look at the protein content in five easy-to-find soy-protein products compared with the protein content from a few other plant-based sources:

Sources: USDA Super Tracker, 2015 Soyfoods Guide – pg. 27

SOY NUTS EDAMAME SOY YOGURT PEANUTS PINTO BEANS LENTILS QUINOA AVOCADO

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Around the world, the perception of soy as a nutritious ingredient in human food has people looking for new ways of incorporating it into their diets. For example, soy’s health benefits led to the purchase of 1.3 million fresh soy milk machines in China in 2013 alone, according to international food-packaging company Tetra Pak. And, market-research firm MarketsandMarkets projects global revenue for soy protein food ingredients to reach $9.2 billion in 2018, a 44 percent increase over 2012.

More people waking up to the health benefits of soy

SOY MILKDEFATTED SOY FLOUR

OTHER PRODUCTS

1 OZ. SERVING SIZE

GRAMS OF PROTEIN

7 3 3 1 1

Source: American Society for Nutrition

Omega-3s: Soybean oil’s major advantageOmega-3 fatty acids, which are a type of polyunsaturated fat, are required by the human body but cannot be produced internally, so they must be consumed. According to Harvard Medical School, omega-3 fatty acids reduce blood pressure, raise good (HDL) cholesterol and lower triglycerides. They may help prevent and even treat heart disease and stroke.

Soybean oil serves as the primary source of omega-3s in the American diet.

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PERC

ENTA

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ONTR

IBUT

ION

DAIRY 10.74

FATS 8.21

OILS 7.93

BEEF 4.82

SHORTENING 4.81

PORK 4.4

POULTRY 3.58

GRAINS 2.67

VEGETABLES 2.45

SOURCES OF OMEGA-3s

SOYBEAN OIL 44.58

OTHER (INCLUDES NUTS, SPICES, FRUITS, EGGS, SEAFOOD AND LAMB) 5.81

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FREEDOM TO OPERATECUSTOMER FOCUSSOYBEAN OIL

Soybean meal is a staple in-gredient for most hog and poultry rations here in the

United States and around the world. Increasing competition and growth of other sources like distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and synthetic amino acids are putting the pressure on the soybean indus-try to offer customers an even better product.

Bob Metz, a Peever, South Dakota, farmer and United Soybean Board farmer-leader, says end users are becoming increasingly quality- and value-conscious.

“Our customers are getting more sophisticated all the time,” Metz says.

For years, crude protein was the standard by which meal value was measured. But, as customers at home and abroad become more aware

of different kinds of value, soybean meal continues to shine. Metz says the availabil-ity of highly digestible amino acids like lysine, methionine and threonine in soybean meal helps animals and poul-try perform better compared with other ingredients.

“We’ve proven year in and year out that U.S. soybeans have highly digestible amino acids,” Metz adds. “Pigs and chickens get a whole lot more from soybean meal than they do from many other feed ingredi-ents. We need to continue to prove that to our customers.”

The national soy checkoff is addressing this challenge in several ways. On one hand, farmer-leaders are working across the value chain to iden-tify new versions of soybean meal that would be successful in the marketplace and add to soybean-farmer profitabil-

ity. At the same time, soy-checkoff-supported research efforts are underway to keep U.S. soy’s place at the top and meet customer needs by im-proving quality and composi-tion. The following are some examples of that work.

Carbohydrate content

Purdue University is working to modify the carbohydrate composition in soybean meal with the goal of develop-ing soybean varieties with reduced simple sugars for im-proved animal performance and gut health.

Improved composition

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricul-tural Research Service (ARS) and breeders from seven states are researching the development of high-yielding soybean cultivars, which produce soybeans with higher

protein content and improved amino acid composition.

Precision genomics

The University of Minnesota is studying precision genomics for soybean composition. The project is part of an initiative to develop soybean lines with targeted characteristics that improve seed composition traits to target soybean genes involved in seed oil and protein development.

Genetic diversity

USDA ARS has developed high-yielding lines and variet-ies from exotic germplasm that commercial companies are using in their breeding programs. Current efforts add new soybean germplasm to that high-yielding pool and identify the genetics affecting yield increases.

By Dan Lemke

MEAL’S INNER QUALITIES

U.S. soybean farmers work to keep meal quality and demand high

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QUALITY IS JUST A CLICK AWAYVisit the Soybean Quality Toolbox for high-yielding, high-quality varietiesBy Andy Teague

Farmers want crops with high yields, and their customers want crops with high quality. But who says they can’t

both get what they want?

There are soybean varieties out there that are high in protein, oil and yield. Unfortunately, not all soybean farmers know where to find these varieties. One simple answer is to ask their seed dealer. Another is to reference a free resource called the Soybean Quality Toolbox at www.GrowSoybeanValue.com.

The Soybean Quality Toolbox is an online tool from the soy checkoff that shows how

commercial soybean varieties perform in test plots across the soybean-producing region of the United States. It lists the varieties’ protein and oil content, along with yield, all of which contribute to how valuable that variety is to soybean farmers and their customers.

“As farmers, we always have to keep our yield in mind,” says Lewis Bainbridge, soy checkoff farmer-leader. “But if you’re selecting seed and two or three varieties you’re considering have similar yield ability, why not choose the variety with the highest protein and oil levels?

“That can lead to more demand for soybean meal, and higher demand leads to more profitability for us.”

While yield is certainly an important factor for farmers, it shouldn’t be the only one. Animal ag depends on high-quality feed for poultry and livestock. Soybeans with greater oil and protein content are in more demand.

Below are results of plot testing from Bainbridge’s hometown of Ethan, South Dakota, along with simple steps for using the Soybean Quality Toolbox to find the highest-quality varieties for your area.

STEP 1: Select your state and other source data: The tool features protein, oil and yield data from 16 states. Simply select the state, year and test plot that most closely resemble your growing conditions.

STEP 2: Choose which type of soybean variety is best for you.

STEP 3: Set current market prices. This allows the tool to calculate how much value each soybean variety is expected to hold for you.

WWW.GROWSOYBEANVALUE.COM: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

STEP 1: DATA SOURCES

STEP 2: FILTERS

STEP 3: PRICING

STEP 4: Analyze Results.

Notice that the varieties with the highest potential value are the ones with the highest protein content.

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SOYBEAN MEALFREEDOM TO OPERATECUSTOMER FOCUS

In the 19th century, author Horace Greeley’s entreaty for Civil War veterans, “Go

West, young man,” resonated with people willing to work hard for the opportunities embedded in the fertile farm-land of the western United States. Today, some farmers west of the Mississippi River will soon get the chance to take their operations to the next level as high oleic soy-bean varieties become avail-able in their areas.

Farmers in Iowa and Ne-braska are excited about the opportunities that will be coming their way in the near future with high oleic soy-beans, which produce an oil with the potential to regain market share for soybean oil

and enhance profitability for farmers. Farmers in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and the Mid-Atlantic have had great success growing high oleic varieties over the past five years.

“When high oleic soybeans come West and are available in my area, I hope to plant them because I know the value is there and I know that we need to regain soybean-oil markets,” says Gregg Fujan, a farmer from Weston, Nebraska, and farmer-leader with the soy checkoff. “High oleic soybeans offer new profitability options.”

Fujan says this is particularly important when margins tighten on the farm.

“Over the years, you’ve seen specialty crops gain popularity during times of lower prices,” says Fujan. “As traditional profit opportunities get smaller, people look to capture a little extra where they can.

“And from what I’ve heard from farmers who have planted high oleic soybeans, the genetics that DuPont Pioneer and Monsanto have put forth yield as well as elite varieties,” says Fujan. “The genetics are there and ready, and the only reason we haven’t seen them sooner are delays in the regulatory process.”

But western soybean farmers aren’t the only ones excited about the expansion of the high oleic growing area.

“Because of the recent announcement from the FDA regarding partially hydrogenated soybean oil (see article on facing page), the timing for high oleic soybean expansion is perfect for the industry to embrace it,” says Fujan. “The checkoff has taken the lead on getting this product out. Hopefully farmers are paying attention to how important it could be for the industry.”

GO WEST, YOUNG BEANS

Oil sales managers share insights about high oleic soybean oil

By Greta Bierbaum

HIGH OLEIC SOYBEANS OFFER NEW PROFITABILITY OPTIONS.- Gregg Fujan, Nebraska farmer

High oleic soybean fields will soon be common sights as demand and varieties make their way west.

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FLIPPED THINKINGIncreasing oil content could improve meal qualityBy Kayla Hedrick

While grown for their protein and oil values, soybeans are actu-

ally made up of many more components. Some of those components, such as insolu-ble carbohydrates, are not as valuable as others to farm-ers. As the soybean industry continues to investigate ways to make the most out of soy’s nutritional values, these less-valuable components may be on the chopping block.

One option for expanded soybean research is to reduce insoluble carbohydrates to make room for more oil. Increasing oil without de-creasing protein will result in the production of a higher-protein meal. Essentially,

the bushels produced by this technology have less meal but the same amount of protein, resulting in a higher-per-centage meal when looked at from a processing standpoint.

“Reducing insoluble carbohy-drates in the soybean would give us a more complete product for both protein and oil to offer our customers,” says Dan Corcoran, a soy-bean farmer and soy checkoff farmer-leader from Piketon, Ohio. “These soybeans will produce a meal with a higher percentage of protein, making them more attractive to our animal-agriculture customers and adding more demand for us as soybean farmers.”

The soybean industry thinks animal nutritionists will agree. A higher percentage of protein in the meal will give advantages to those us-ing soy in their feed rations.

“Feeds for rapidly growing animals require nutrient-dense ingredients, which tend to be expensive,” says Dr. Nick Bajjalieh, an animal nutrition-

ist who works as a consultant for the United Soybean Board. “Soybean meal with greater nutrient density can better address this need while po-tentially reducing feed costs. Lower feed costs reduce the overall cost to produce a unit of animal protein.”

Now, the soybean industry must investigate the value across the industry that can be added to soy by reducing insoluble carbohydrates and see if that value makes sense for an investment. Seeing the value will help begin the development of these seed varieties, which can take 10-15 years to come to market.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced this summer that it plans to phase out partially hydrogenated oils from food products during the next three years. With 2 billion pounds of partially hydrogenated soybean oil currently used in food applications, this adjustment could impact farmer profitability.

Here are five things you should know about the announcement:

FOOD FACTSFive things you should know about removing partially hydrogenated oilsBy Kayla Hedrick

Meal with a higher percentage of protein adds value.

Soybean oil’s instability makes it unattractive to many food customers. Soybean oil itself does not contain the trans fats the FDA is eliminating. But, without some sort of stability-enhancing process, such as hydrogenation, it breaks down easily

in high-heat situations. Your biggest oil customers don’t want that.

High oleic soybean oil is stable, and that meets many customer needs. High oleic soybeans produce an oil that is stable without the need for any hydrogenation. These varieties can help fill the needs of food companies

across the United States.

Not all hydrogenation is equal. The FDA’s ruling is against trans-fat-causing partial hydrogenation. But, full hydrogenation of soybean oil is still okay. It remains an option to gain back lost market needs that high oleic can’t meet.

Interesterification: Big word, amazing results. The soybean industry has been anticipating a phase-out of partially hydrogenated oils for several years. One solution is a different type of processing called

interesterification. It produces a “hard” fat from soybean oil, like shortening, without creating any unwanted trans-fats. This process will save you from losing more customers and fill a void that high oleic can’t fill on its own.

The food industry is watching. Food companies want a stable oil with a guaranteed, affordable supply. Soybean farmers in areas where high oleic varieties are available need to step up and plant the varieties that customers

demand. See your local processor or seed representative about growing high oleic in your area.

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FREEDOM TO OPERATE SOYBEAN OILSOYBEAN MEAL

SEED-SELECTION SUCCESSKnow which pests plague your field before choosing varieties

S eed selection is one of the most expensive and critical decisions you make on your

farm each year. As companies introduce new varieties and discontinue others, it can be difficult to determine which ones are right for your fields.

Getting the best yield overall

often means looking beyond simply the top-yielding variet-ies and instead considering what might be reducing yields in each of your fields. If those high-yielding varieties don’t address some of the common ailments you are facing on a field-by-field basis, chances are you won’t see the same high-

yield results on your own farm.

“It’s important to consider the yield-limiting factors on a field-by-field basis,” says Laura Lindsey, assistant professor of soybean and small grain production at Ohio State University. “For example, farm-ers in northwest Ohio have to

deal with heavy clay soils that are poorly drained. Soybean seedling diseases, such as Phytophthora, can be yield-limiting in these situations and selecting a variety with genetic resistance is important.”

Follow the chart below as you consider varieties for 2016:

By Nicole Hasheider

BE PREPARED Have field records and variety trial results ready

Look for varieties with strong resistance to the particular diseases you have encountered. Resistant varieties are your strongest

defense against diseases.

Consider seed treatments if soybeans are planted early, into cool, wet conditions, or the seed treatment shows remarkable

control for the disease.

LACK OF RAIN All farmers know that you can’t

influence the weather, but if you’re seeing drought stress in your

soybeans, an earlier-maturing variety may alleviate some of that stress.

Early maturing varieties reach reproductive stages, when adequate

water is most important, earlier in the season.

DISEASE

NEMATODES Resistant varieties are, by far, the best

way to control nematodes in your field. Varieties vary in levels of resistance

so be sure to select a variety with high levels of resistance if nematodes are

present in high populations. Rotate the source of nematode resistance

from year-to-year to maintain effectiveness. Additionally, rotating soybeans

with non-SCN-host crops can help reduce SCN levels.

WEEDS If you have trouble controlling

weeds in your fields, consider trying a variety with a different herbicide-

tolerance trait than what you’ve been using in the past. As always,

it’s important to rotate the herbicide modes of action you use.

Make a list of your most common problems by field. What’s the biggest yield reducer in each one?

A field-by-field evaluation of what limits yield can help you find the right varieties to improve yield.

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For some, harvest is nearly complete, and for others, it’s just begun. But it’s never too early to begin thinking about next year.

“Boosting soybean yields for next year begins by understanding the needs of the soybean plant and its environment,” says Ignacio Ciampitti, Ph.D., Kansas State University crop production and cropping systems specialist. “Then, using that information to adopt the best agronomic practices and technology to optimize yield. Innovation is important, but it won’t do any good unless farmers apply basic management practices.”

When contemplating the next growing season, farmers should consider the following for their management plan:

Following harvest, collect soil samples to test soil fertility and nematodes.

Apply lime or gypsum if pH ranges need to be adjusted. Your soil sample results will tell you if this is necessary.

Correct nutrient levels – broadcast applications of phosphorus and potassium to improve soil-nutrient status.

Check soil’s physical conditions for compaction or rutting to determine need for fall tillage.

Begin preparing lists of needed inputs, such as seed, fertilizers and pesticides, for next year’s crop.

Make fall herbicide applications to control winter annual weeds. It is essential to scout for weed escapes.

Begin reading and evaluating regional variety trial results and outcomes from on-farm trials to make seed selection and other management decisions for next year’s crop.

Begin selecting next year’s soybean varieties and seed treatments.

Prepare planters and sprayers for the next growing season.

To learn more about experimenting with different management practices on your farm, contact your state soy checkoff board staff, university soybean researchers and extension specialists, crop advisers, seed and chemical reps or agronomy experts. Or visit www.UnitedSoybean.org for more soy-checkoff-funded soybean-production advancements.

THINKING AHEADImplement best management practices now to save money and optimize yields next yearBy Jillian Baker

I WILLPREVENT WEEDS FROM SPREADING FIELD TO FIELD.

They’re out there. Ready to invade. Growing in ditches and fence rows. Seeds stuck to tractors and combines.

I will take action and prevent them from spreading.

I will take control before they pollinate and before they go to seed. I will manage my field borders. I will clean my equipment. I will do whatever it takes to stop the invasion.

Now is the time to take action against herbicide-resistant weeds. Visit www.TakeActionOnWeeds.com to learn how you can prevent herbicide-resistant weeds from spreading. Brought to you by the soy checkoff.

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USB Director Annie Dee grows soybeans, corn, wheat and rye and raises beef cattle in Aliceville, Alabama.

SOYBEAN OIL CUSTOMER FOCUSSOYBEAN MEAL

THE JOY OF COOKING SOYSoy-checkoff farmer-leader helps to separate soy food myths from facts.

By Kelsey Ruthman

It won’t take you seven years to digest a piece of gum. Swallowing a

watermelon seed won’t make a plant grow in your stomach. And, eating soy won’t give you breast cancer.

Unfortunately, of all the myths out there, it can be particularly hard to bust the one about soy.

“Soy’s link to breast cancer is probably the No. 1 myth surrounding soyfoods,” says

Joy Blakeslee, a registered dietitian specializing in soy. “This myth is persistent, even among health professionals.”

Predictably, support for this mistaken notion can be easily found on the Internet. But while most know not to believe everything found on the World Wide Web, when the information is coming from a medical professional, it can be hard to deny.

“That’s why the work United Soybean Board (USB) does with nurse practitioners and physician assistants is so important,” Blakeslee says. “We are able to provide them with science-based references that they can take back to their patients.”

USB farmer-leader Annie Dee agrees about the importance of working with these influencers.

“Bringing the truth about soyfoods and their health ben-efits to the medical community is critical,” she says.

And when it comes to promoting soyfoods, Dee especially wants farmers to consider the competition.

“If we don’t emphasize how important our products are, then we are going to lose our market share,” she stresses. “We can’t just sit back and let another commodity from an-other country take our place at the table.”

USB consumer research shows that the soy checkoff ’s efforts are working. The number of consumers aware of soy’s specific health benefits rose significantly in 2015, according to the latest USB Consumer Attitude survey.

Maintaining this trend could lead to increased demand.

“Soyfoods are a part of our market,” Dee says. “It might not be where the majority of our soybeans go, but promot-ing soyfoods can impact the farmer’s bottom line.”

THREE REASONS TO EAT THREE SERVINGS OF SOY PER DAY:

MAY HELP PREVENT SOME

FORMS OF CANCER.

SHOWN TO REDUCE THE RISK OF HEART

DISEASE.

CAN HELP IMPROVE

BONE HEALTH.

A serving of soy could be a cup of soy milk, a half-cup of tofu or a handful of soy nuts. Visit www.SoyConnection.com for more information.

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There are a lot of differences between growing rapeseed in the United Kingdom,

palm in Malaysia and soybeans in the United States. However, there are a lot of common-alities as well, not the least of which is the growing concern about various issues that could affect farmers’ freedom to op-erate in each of those regions.

“We’re all dealing with very similar, if not the same, issues,” says Laura Foell, a soy checkoff farmer-leader from Schaller, Iowa, and U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) chair. “Biotech acceptance and slow approvals of new traits are two major issues that

farmers combat across the globe. Unfortunately, there seems to be no silver bullet to this, but having conversa-tions with influencers and government officials in other countries is one of the most effective strategies we use to address this issue.”

Farmers from around the world recently came together in Chicago to discuss these issues at an event hosted by United Soybean Board, USSEC and the American Soybean Association. The event, dubbed the Interna-tional Oilseed Producers Dialogue, gave farmers the opportunity to share how their

organizations are addressing issues such as sustainability, consumer acceptance and biotech approvals. Participants were greatly impressed with the U.S. Farmers and Ranch-ers Alliance and the work that this organization does to tell farmers’ stories. The group also heard about a joint effort between South American and North American farmers to introduce Chinese consumers to soybean farmers through the Farm Mom program’s new website. Both of these examples of storytelling hit home with this audience.

“As farmers, we have a good story to tell and it’s backed with solid facts and figures,” Foell adds. “Globally, we all agree that we farmers need to do a better job of telling our story, not just to decision makers, but to our neighbors and customers, too. And we’re hoping through partnerships formed at gatherings like this, we can work with our colleagues from all over the world to do a better job of communicating about what farmers do and the care that goes into our work.”

GLOBAL AGENDAFarmer organizations work together to tell farmers’ storiesBy Laura Smith

USB Chairman Bob Haselwood (center) and Vice Chairman Jared Hagert (right) visit with a representative from Uruguay during the 18th annual International Oilseed Producers Dialogue held in Chicago this summer.

STUDY PROVES TRANSPORTATION DURING LAST HARVEST SMOOTHER; WHAT ABOUT 2015?

After a nearly disastrous harvest season for many rail companies in 2013, specifically in the upper Midwest, the Soy Transportation Coalition decided to dig in the following year to see if this was a growing problem. Thanks in part to a longer harvest window and an increase in investments by the railroad companies, 2014 harvest was much smoother than previous years. Farmers are hoping that this trend of improved infrastructure and service continues, especially as harvest 2015 gets underway.

Brought to you by the soy checkoff.

IF YOU PRACTICE REDUCED TILLAGE,

YOU’RE SUSTAINABLE.98% of U.S. soybeans are certified sustainable, according to the U.S. Soybean Sustainability Assurance Protocol. And sustainability is a big selling point in today’s marketplace. So own your sustainability and spread the word. It helps improve the value of your soybeans. See more ways you can help @ SustainableSoy.com

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GUEST COLUMN

Chicken is America’s favorite source of protein, and soybean meal is the favorite

protein source of America’s broiler chickens. Broilers account for about 35 percent of domestic soybean meal consumption.

Why do chickens love soybean meal so much? The amino acid profile balances well with corn, which is especially impor-tant in all-vegetable diets. Plus the digestibility of those amino acids is relatively high.

But poultry nutritionists need to consider several factors concerning the ingredient when formulating diets.

Here are four important things for farmers to know about other factors that impact meal demand and soybean profitability:

1 DIETARY ENERGY While soybean meal is a preferred source of protein, it has relatively low dietary energy for poultry compared with other high-protein substitutes. This is because many of the carbohydrates in soybean meal are not easily digested by the birds. Half of the free sugars in soybean meal are in forms that are

indigestible to poultry. Plant breeders have selected soybeans with lower levels of the indigestible sugars, raffinose and stachyose, and replaced them with more digestible sugars.

2 COLLABORATION

The United Soybean Board (USB) Animal Nutrition Working Group, a group of animal nutritionists advis-ing USB on how to increase soybean meal utilization through improved nutrition, has identified these variet-ies as a major opportunity to improve meal value in poultry. The group is actively working with plant breeders and poultry researchers to determine how best to utilize this technology to bring more value to poultry producers and soybean farmers.

3 PROCESSING

The processing method is the next consideration. The most common method is solvent extraction, but a less com-mon method is mechanical extraction. The meal products that result from these methods are very different in nutritive value. Solvent-extracted meal is usually higher in protein and lower in residual oil than meal that undergoes mechan-ical extraction. Whether the soybeans are dehulled or the

hulls are left in the meal also has a big influence on protein and energy values.

4 PROPER HEAT

TREATMENT Another positive attribute of soybean meal for poultry is the excellent digestibility of the amino acids compared with other protein sources. The key to the amino acid digestibility for soybean meal is getting the proper amount of heat treatment. Soybeans contain anti-nutritive pro-teins, called trypsin inhibi-tors, that impair the digestion of protein. Heat treating soy-bean meal after oil extraction deactivates these proteins.

Overheating soybean meal reduces the availability of amino acids. Lysine, a critical amino acid due to its role in muscle development, is particularly sensitive to overheating. Under-heating

soybean meal means the remaining trypsin inhibitors will hinder protein digestion, resulting in poor bird growth.

Most U.S. soybean proces-sors using solvent extraction have fine-tuned the time and temperature combination to minimize problems with trypsin inhibitors while main-taining optimum amino acid digestibility. Heat treatment in mechanically extracted meal is more variable and higher trypsin inhibitor content is common, so extra attention is warranted when using this type of meal.

You probably don’t often think about the meal made from your soybeans once you’ve dropped them off at the elevator, but the animal nutritionists who purchase your soybeans do. That’s why it’s important for soybean farm-ers to know about some of the factors that impact my industry, the ultimate customers of their soybean meal.

Randy Mitchell is the vice president of technical services at Perdue Farms with responsi-bility for the company’s poultry nutrition and live research. He is also a volunteer member of USB’s Animal Nutrition Working Group, which provides critical insights that increase soybean meal utilization.

IMPROVING THE ‘GOLD STANDARD’Four ways to increase the value of soybean meal for poultry processorsBy Randy Mitchell, vice president of technical services at Perdue Farms

YOU PROBABLY DON’T OFTEN THINK ABOUT THE MEAL MADE FROM YOUR SOYBEANS ONCE YOU’VE DROPPED THEM OFF AT THE ELEVATOR, BUT THE ANIMAL NUTRITIONISTS WHO PURCHASE YOUR SOYBEANS DO.

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Roberta Simpson- Dolbeare did not grow up in agriculture, but

she is proud to be a part of her Illinois family farm and to serve on her state soybean board. Women farmers are

one of the most rapidly growing segments of the nation’s changing agricul-tural landscape. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Ag-riculture Statistics Service,

nearly 1 million women are farming, accounting for 30 percent of U.S. farmers. And the makeup of the 31 state and regional soy checkoff boards is also changing. At least seven women joined

state and regional soy checkoff boards in the last year, and the number is steadily increasing. Below, find out why women such as Simpson-Dolbeare are getting involved.

THE POWER OF INVOLVEMENTU.S. women soybean farmers’ leadership is benefitting states across the country By Ginger Merritt

State soy-checkoff boards are always on the lookout for promising leaders from a variety of backgrounds. To find out more about getting involved, contact your state checkoff, or visit www.UnitedSoybean.org/GetInvolved.

Roberta Simpson-Dolbeare Simpson-Dolbeare, who farms soybeans and corn near Nebo, Illinois, is not new to board service. She has

served on several boards, including the ones for her local hospital and school. With a little encouragement from Phil Bradshaw, a past board member and United Soybean Board chairman, Simpson-Dolbeare quickly

saw the value in applying her leadership skills on the Illinois Soybean Association board.

“I think it’s important to keep abreast of key issues in the ag industry and to look for opportunities to improve soybean production – not only for our farm but for soybean farms across the state,” Simpson-Dolbeare says.

She also sees women creating more of their own opportunities in the ag world. “Women are taking a more active role in the industry now than maybe even 10 or 20 years ago.”

Sarah Peterson Although Sarah Peterson has been involved in agriculture all of her life, soybeans are a relatively new

crop for her. Corn and barley were common crops in her family’s fields in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan because soybean varieties fitting that climate were not readily available at that time. Peterson, who has served on the Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee for almost a year, says she likes the idea of doing

work that benefits the greater good.

“As soybean farmers, we all put funds into the checkoff,” she says. “We all have a duty to put our time in to further the industry.”

Peterson, who also has served on her local Farm Bureau board, thinks that boards with diverse members will strengthen the industry. “Just having a different way of thinking can make boards more productive,”

she says. “Of course, no matter who you are, you have to have a good understanding of the industry. Unless you have boots on the ground and dirt under your fingernails, you would have difficulty contributing.”

Monica McCranie Since 2006, Monica McCranie has devoted her time to the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion

Council. McCranie, who farms in Claremont, South Dakota, first became involved with the checkoff board because she wanted to contribute to the industry and was at a time in her life when she could.

“I feel I’ve gotten far more back than I have given,” she says. “As a board, we work on ensuring that farming is viable for future generations and help our state’s farmers understand how the current state of the indus-

try affects their farms. Agriculture would not be where it is today if it weren’t for these types of boards.”

McCranie, whose sons are both active in the family farm, sees the younger generation taking a more active role than before, especially women. “They are more involved in the ag industry, and it just seems like a natural fit.”

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SPREADING THE KNOWLEDGE Farmer-leader highlights need for quality with his seed customersBy Dan Lemke

FARM FEATURE

As a soybean farmer and seed dealer, Keith Kemp gets it – yield is king. But

that won’t stop him from trying to share with his customers the message that higher quality is worth pursuing, too.

Kemp, who farms and operates a seed business with his son, Chad, in southwestern Ohio, knows most U.S. soybean farmers probably won’t be focusing on the nutritional needs of U.S. soy’s customers when they harvest this fall. While combines gobble up acres, it’s hard for

farmers to see beyond the numbers showing up on their yield monitors to what their end users are looking for.

“Yield is still paramount to farmers,” says Kemp, a soy checkoff farmer-leader. “Still, we try to get our seed customers to look more closely at protein value and oil content too, when they select their seed, because their end users are.”

Farmers don’t have to choose between quality and yield. As a seed dealer, Kemp knows there are higher-yielding varieties

that provide the oil and meal quality that buyers want, which helps them improve their com-petitiveness in the marketplace.

“I talk to our seed customers about the customers who buy U.S. soy and the concerns they have, and I also talk to them about our competitors and

what’s going on with them,” Kemp says. “Many farmers don’t focus on the importance of world markets. They’re understandably focused on their farm and doing what’s best for it, so I try to offer them a global perspective.”

That global perspective includes the fact that soybean quality in meal and oil increases demand, which can increase the price a farmer receives.

For the first time this year, several of Kemp’s customers are growing high oleic soybean varieties. The oil those soybeans produce features all the functionality needed by some food manufacturers and restaurants with none of the trans fats, which have recently been targeted for elimination by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“I definitely think high oleic soybeans will be our future,” Kemp says. “We have to keep thinking about meeting the needs of our end users.”Keith Kemp (right), an Ohio soybean farmer and seed dealer, steers farmers toward high-yielding varieties with qualities their end-use

customers need. Kemp farms and operates a seed business with his son, Chad, at left.

WE TRY TO GET OUR SEED CUSTOMERS TO LOOK MORE CLOSELY AT PROTEIN VALUE AND OIL CONTENT WHEN THEY SELECT THEIR SEED.- Keith Kemp, soybean farmer and seed dealer

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STATE & MAINThe Georgia Soybean Commodity Commission recently approved funding for a wide range of research

projects and promotional activities. These projects will address a number of issues important to Georgia soybean farmers, including soybean rust, kudzu bug, soybean stem canker and the development of new varieties. Learn more about these projects at www.GeorgiaCrop.com or in your recent edition of Georgia Soybean News.

With three years of protein and oil data, the Illinois Soybean Association is promoting a new composition program,

High Yield Plus Quality (HY+Q). The program supports the entire U.S. soybean industry’s commitment to unsurpassed yields and quality. Learn how you can take advantage of HY+Q on your farm at www.ilsoy.org/composition.

Representatives from the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) traveled

throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed to learn about water-quality efforts in the region and their impact on agriculture in Iowa. Be sure to check out the October issue of the Iowa Soybean Review for extensive coverage of conversations and findings from this mission.

The Baltimore County Center for Maryland Agriculture and Farm

Park will host Family Farm Day on Sept. 20. Thanks to a grant from the Maryland Soybean Board, various soy-based consumer products will be featured in the Soy Land exhibit. For more information, visit www.mdsoy.com.

Mark your calendars! The 2016 Great Lakes Crop Summit, sponsored in part by the Michigan

Soybean Promotion Committee, will be held Jan. 27-28 in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. This summit will be packed with practical and timely information for field-crop producers, and soybean farmers are encouraged to attend. For more details and to register, visit www.GreatLakesCropSummit.com.

Are you worried about herbicide resistance on your farm? Be sure to

drop by the Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) exhibit at Husker Harvest Days, Sept. 15-17 to find out what weed-management resources your soy checkoff has to offer and to pick up your Take Action Weed ID Booklet. Learn more now at www.TakeActionOnWeeds.com.

Ag Day is Oct. 3 at North Carolina State University, a celebration of

farmers and farming as part of the university’s football team’s first conference game of the season. The North Carolina Soybean Producers Association will be on-site to talk to fans about agriculture in the Fan Zone and will participate in a special agriculture-themed game show at the student pep rally on Oct. 2.

Looking for something to do before soybean harvest is in full swing?

Plan to visit the North Dakota Soybean Council booth at the Big Iron Farm Show in Fargo, Sept. 15-17, to check out North Dakota soybean-promotion efforts. Visit www.BigIronFarmShow.com for more information.

Continuing this year’s emphasis on promoting high oleic soybeans in

Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Soybean Board helped showcase soybean production and products, such as food fried in high oleic soybean oil, during the annual research tour at Ag Progress Days in August. For more information about high oleic soybean production and use in Pennsylvania, visit www.pasoybean.org.

The Texas Soybean Board is investing in cooperative soybean production research through the

Mid-South Soybean Board and Southern Soybean Research Program. See the results of past projects and learn more about ongoing research by visiting the cooperative websites at www.midsouthsoybeans.com and www.kysoy.org/ssrp/.

THIRTY-ONE QUALIFIED STATE SOYBEAN BOARDS INVEST CHECKOFF DOLLARS TO PROVIDE SOYBEAN FARMERS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SOYBEAN PRODUCTION AND PROMOTION THROUGH EVENTS AND RESEARCH IN THEIR STATES. IF YOU DON’T SEE YOUR STATE BELOW, LOOK FOR IT IN A FUTURE ISSUE OF BEYOND THE BEAN.

The soy checkoff is looking for farmers from diverse backgrounds to get involved in the United Soybean Board or in one of the 31 state or regional soybean boards across the country. There are a variety of opportunities to serve, and your talent and input can make a difference.

Help to lead the U.S. soybean industry into the future. Contact your state checkoff board and get involved today, or visit www.UnitedSoybean.org/GetInvolved.

YOUR PERSPECTIVE IS WORTH GROWING

Chesapeake Bay

With high oleic soybeans, you can take back the market share you lost to canola and other crops. High oleic are top-performing varieties packed with innovation your end-use customers want. From supermarket food brands to

restaurant chains, high oleic soybeans offer you more market opportunities. Grow it now, and you grow your profitability.

Talk to your local seed rep for the best varieties in your area or visit SoyInnovation.com

INNOVATION THAT GROWSThe yield you want, the demand you need – that’s high oleic.

INNOVATION THAT GROWSINNOVATION THAT GROWS

Funded by the soy checkoff.

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