June 7, 2021

 
Non-GMO soybean to support US farmers' profits

With funding and partnership support from the US soy checkoff, the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council is leading the effort to build momentum for SOYLEIC™, a non-GMO soybean variety containing high oleic trait technology, the United Soybean Board (USB) announced on June 2.

The variety offers opportunities for US farmers to meet end-user high oleic oil needs for specific markets.

"SOYLEIC is the latest example of the value the checkoff brings to soybean farmers, by providing research funding investments that result in innovations farmers can put to work right now to maximise profit opportunities," said Meagan Kaiser, USB's  treasurer. "The reliability that US soybean farmers provide can meet end-user demand, expand and strengthen market share in the food industry, and diversify their acres, furthering profitability on the farm."

The SOYLEIC trait technology was developed after over a decade of research. Seeds carrying SOYLEIC are going into approximately 40,000 acres across 14 US states from Georgia to Minnesota this growing season. Additionally, a new website, soyleic.com, is now available as a one-stop shop for information for farmers, researchers, chefs and health-conscious consumers.

High oleic soybean oil provides increased functionality and contains zero trans fat. It is an ideal oil for frying, baking and many other uses in restaurants and home kitchens. It creates nutritious food for humans and feed for animal diets while offering a diversified and value-added planting option for soy farmers.

"Innovations like the SOYLEIC non-GMO high oleic soybeans are exactly the opportunities we're focused on in bringing new soybean varieties to farmers and introducing new soy products to the market through the soy checkoff," said Kyle Durham, chair of the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council. "We're proud to bring growers this technology that stands to empower farmers to improve their bottom line through new varieties and value-added markets and meet the food industry's need for high-performing soybean oil."

In addition to farmers planting soybeans with the SOYLEIC non-GMO high oleic, soybean breeders are working to develop new varieties with the technology tailored to the growing conditions in their regions. Led by the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council and funded through the soy checkoff, a group of land-grant universities and private organizations are working to expand the trait to maturity groups 00 to VII.

- United Soybean Board