Soybeans
Vietnam has a 100 million people and a growing middle class looking to add protein to their diet. With limited soybean crushing capacity, the country currently depends on soybean meal imports for their livestock and aquaculture feed needs.
“Sunlight drives photosynthesis, which drives starch production, which drives yield,” explains Ken Ferrie. If sunlight hits the ground, it’s wasted, so maximizing sunlight capture requires closing rows as quickly as possible.
Maximizing ROI is Brian Scott’s No. 1 goal as he evaluates planting populations on his northwest Indiana farm. In 2024, the sweet spot was 100,000 seeds per acre, which cost $53 per acre in seed and yielded 76 bu. per acre.
As the trade war heats up, the reality is China is still the top export destination for U.S. farmers, even if the country isn’t buying as many soybeans as 2018.
Many seed beans were hammered by heat and drought at harvest last year, leading to variable seed quality this season. Knowing your warm/cold germ scores and using seed treatments at planting can help you get the crop off to a stronger start, especially early soybeans.
Look for the sensitive areas in your fields now, advises Steve Pitstick, who farms 50 miles west of the Chicago suburbs. Be proactive and be informed, he adds, so making product use adjustments won’t be a huge lift this season.
When growing soybeans, the first thing farmers need to explore is where they can get those “free bushels,” says Randy Dowdy. One of the most important factors to consider is planting date, specifically the need to plant early.
Fred Below has given each of his “six secrets for soybean success” a bushel-per-acre value. Working together, they can help farmers grow yields 80-bu. or more per acre.
A new map from the SCN Coalition can give you an idea of whether the pest is in your county. Soil testing this spring will confirm whether the pest is in your fields, dinging yields and dollars.
New data reveals 31 counties in 10 U.S. states, 10 rural municipalities in Quebec and three counties in Manitoba and Ontario reported the pest for the first time from 2020 through 2023.
The grower currently broadcast applies P and K ahead of planting but is considering moving to strip-till applications like he uses in corn.
Brazil’s amendments to its domestic policies and increasing biodiesel mandates are likely to reduce the availability of used cooking oil for export, potentially reshaping its role in the global biofuel market.
Trump’s plans to roll out blanket import tariffs could slam the door on imported vegetable oil supplies, which renewable energy analysts said could in turn lure the U.S. crush industry to revive lagging plans to build new plants and expand capacity.
In addition to planting soybeans early and applying fungicide, Dan Vogel puts on the appropriate amount of nutrients for the given year, instead of trying to bank nutrients or apply a two-year spread.
USDA forecasts agricultural exports at $173.5 billion and imports at a record $204 billion for a projected record trade deficit of $30.5 billion.
It’s one thing to read about it, but it’s another thing to travel across the ocean and experience it for yourself. That’s why Jackie Ponder decided to join a trade mission to Vietnam focused on the benefits of U.S. pork and high oleic soybean cooking oil.
Farm Journal’s field agronomist Missy Bauer says small seed size can have a major impact on soybean yield, causing yields to swing 15 to 20 bu. per acre.
While bulk grain exports would be largely unaffected, the strike would impact containerized agricultural exports: Soybeans, soybean meal, and other agricultural products exported via containers would be affected.
Based on trials conducted at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, postdoctoral researcher Connor Sible shares tips for getting the most out of your bean crop.
Young farmer’s freakish 218.2856 bushels per acre are the highest yielding soybeans in farming history.
USDA’s August WASDE report increased both the corn and soybean yield and production estimates. The soybean scenario is for a record yield and production number, which sent soybean prices sliding lower since the report.
This past week, USDA reported a soybean sale of 3.89 million bushels to China and another 4.4 million bushels to unknown destinations during the 2023/2024 marketing year.
BASF announces it has developed an innovative tool – Nemasphere – that company leaders expect will eventually become the standard for soybean cyst nematode management.
Bayer has requested a new label for XtendiMax from EPA. Public comment is underway. Also, farmers and retailers are urged to verify final sale and use cutoff dates for dicamba-based products in their respective states.
Iowa State University Extension research shows weeds not controlled after the V2 growth stage can reduce yields by up to 1% per day. Uncontrolled weeds can also contribute to harvest difficulties and weed seed banks.
USDA’s April WASDE report showed larger wheat and soybean ending stocks, but smaller ending stocks for corn. More surprising, still, was the lack of changes to South America’s crop estimates.
Some Illinois farmers started planting soybeans in late March. Ken Ferrie offers tips to help you weigh the risks of planting now. Plus, be aware that poor saturated cold scores are impacting some seed corn hybrids.
Fire fighters from across the U.S. participated in a fire demonstration at the Dalton, Georgia fire department looking at the effectiveness of Soyfoam, the first soy based fire suppressant.
Since the 1950s, fire departments across the country have used products containing dangerous PFAS to put out fires. But the United Soybean Board has announced a greener alternative made from soybean meal.