Parsons, Kansas —
According to a recent soy-checkoff-funded study, the overall oil levels in last year’s U.S. soybean crop increased over the previous year, while average protein fell. United Soybean Board (USB) Customer Focus Action Team Chair Sharon Covert says U.S. soy’s biggest users pay attention to those results.
“The oil and protein levels in our soybeans are very important to our customers,” says Covert, a soybean farmer from Tiskilwa, Ill. “We should take every possible course of action to improve our soy oil and meal, which will help us protect and expand our markets.”
The results of the soy checkoff’s annual U.S. Soybean Quality Survey found the oil level in the overall U.S. soybean crop rose by 0.3 point to 18.5 percent last year. And protein dropped a half-point to 34.3 percent. But for a crop baked by drought conditions for much of the year, that’s pretty good, says the scientist in charge of the research.
Seth Naeve, Ph.D., who conducts the study, says the drought likely had a hand in holding protein levels down.
“Weather has a dramatic impact on soybean quality,” says Naeve, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota. “Last year, the drought affected different regions differently, so we weren’t exactly sure how quality would play out. Overall, I think we’re happy that quality was as good as it was.”
Beginning with the 2013 crop, the checkoff will be implementing a new program to monitor weather conditions in soybean test plots and correlate that information with quality outcomes and variety performance. This work will complement the Soybean Quality Survey.
The checkoff uses the survey to give buyers a preview of protein and oil levels. Naeve says he recently joined the U.S. Soybean Export Council in presenting the results to buyers in Asia, who want to know what U.S. farmers are doing to improve quality long-term.
Animal agriculture consumes nearly 98 percent of U.S. soy meal, feeding the protein-rich meal to poultry, swine, fish and other animals. The food industry, which uses nearly 70 percent of soy oil, depends on an abundant supply of healthy and functional oil to use as frying oil or as an ingredient in many food products.
Naeve says variety selection is a farmer’s best tool to improve soybean quality—even during a drought.
“In general, the highest-protein varieties tend to be higher-protein in most environments,” he says.
The 69 farmer-directors of USB oversee the investments of the soy checkoff to maximize profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers. These volunteers invest and leverage checkoff funds to increase the value of U.S. soy meal and oil, to ensure U.S. soybean farmers and their customers have the freedom and infrastructure to operate, and to meet the needs of U.S. soy’s customers. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff. £
Crops
Drought impacts U.S. soybean quality results
- Crops
-
-
Plant now, add nitrogen later
When the rain faucet shuts off, plant first and apply nitrogen later, advises Peter Scharf, University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist and professor in plant sciences at the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.
-
MU Field Scouting Report: No freeze damage to wheat, delayed corn planting
Wheat is in the flag leaf to early boot stage. No freeze damage to the wheat head was seen. Temporary phosphorus deficiency, identified by purpling on leaf tips, was seen due to cold weather.
-
Corn planting dates and cold temps cause concern
“The possibility of temperatures nearing 32 degrees or below, there is concern among producers for damage of the wheat head,” said Jill Scheidt, agronomy specialist with the University of Missouri Extension in Barton County. According to Bill Wiebold, state specialist with the University of Missouri Extension, wheat is the most sensitive to freezing temperatures when the heads are coming out and flowers are beginning to form.
-
Wildcat Extension Report: Can gypsum fix what ails your soil?
A man much wiser than me once said that the easiest way to change your soil is to move. Unfortunately, this is not always an option for most producers. Soils in southeast Kansas are classified, in general, to be heavy clay soils.
-
Kansas wheat growers should be aware of crop diseases
With forecasts of snow still a possibility and the wheat just starting to green up in parts of Kansas, it may surprise some wheat growers to know that March is an important month for wheat disease development.
-
Cover crops can provide many benefits
Having plant growth in fields year-round can improve the soil, according to Tim Reinbott, superintendent of the University of Missouri Bradford Research Center. He says using cover crops in the fall and spring can provide large benefits.
-
Drought impacts U.S. soybean quality results
According to a recent soy-checkoff-funded study, the overall oil levels in last year’s U.S. soybean crop increased over the previous year, while average protein fell. United Soybean Board (USB) Customer Focus Action Team Chair Sharon Covert says U.S. soy’s biggest users pay attention to those results.
-
Midwest soil could take up to two years to recover
The Midwest suffered the worst drought in years last summer, and Midwest soil has been suffering from a drought since early 2010. As a result, crops have wilted and farmers have fallen on hard times. Now, a University of Missouri researcher says that it may take at least two years for crops and soil to recover.
-
Ag profitability conference addresses crop concerns
Corn and soybean producers face wide-ranging harvest price possibilities for the crops they plant this spring.
-
Local growers get latest on new herbicides
Controlling herbicide resistant weeds was the hot topic during the Andrew County Ag. Update conference on Thursday, Jan. 17 in the Clasbey Center in Savannah, Mo.
- More Crops Headlines
-
Plant now, add nitrogen later
