January 22, 2023

US' United Soybean Board releases 2023 Sustainability Overview report

The United Soybean Board (USB) on January 17 released its 2023 US Soy Sustainability Overview report.

Titled "Partners for a Better Tomorrow," the report shines a spotlight on the partnerships fostered by these farmers' checkoff investments to drive innovation both on and off the farm. These advances include efforts to enhance sustainability in production agriculture as well as ongoing development of new soy-based products that provide cleaner alternatives for everything from rubbers and plastics to adhesives and lubricants.

"US soy farmers are proud of the important and growing role they play in maximising sustainability not only in farming but throughout industries and around the globe," said April Hemmes, who serves as chair of the Demand Action Team at USB. "We work with partners every day to discover new ways to use US soy to sustainably solve some of society's biggest challenges. At the same time, these efforts support the US economy by opening important new markets for the soy industry."

The report highlights the efforts of US soybean farmers and their partners to advance sustainable food production and support food security around the world. This starts on the farm, where modern practices and advanced technologies help farmers to conserve land, water, energy and other natural resources.

Partners like Farmers for Soy Health and The Nature Conservancy work with US soy to expand the use of sustainable farming practices, such as cover crops and conservation tillage, which help to improve soil health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

US farmers also support initiatives like US Soybean Export Council (USSEC)'s Soy Excellence Centers and the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) aquaculture internship programme. These programmes provide protein producers in developing countries around the world with training and capacity-building programmes to help them enhance productivity and sustainability.

The latest report provides updates on checkoff-funded research projects that hold significant promise in advancing sustainability, both on the farm and through groundbreaking new uses for soy.

For example, the USB and multiple partners are in the midst of a three-year project aimed at reducing the impact of drought on soybean varieties, which could potentially improve yields by 10% to 15%.

- USB