Soybean Social Media Post Resources and Facts Links •
http://www.themiraclebean.com/
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http://www.arkansassoybean.com/
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http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entrydetail.aspx?search=1&entryID=3216
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https://soygrowers.com/
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http://www.soyconnection.com/
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http://unitedsoybean.org/
Facts • • • • • • • • • •
Arkansas currently ranks 10th in the nation in soybean production, producing more than 150 million bushels annually valued at more than $1.5 billion. In 2014, Arkansas’ soybean yield of 49.5 bushels per acre was the highest average yield in state history. Soybeans are Arkansas’s largest row crop at 3.1 million acres, accounting for more acres than rice, corn, sorghum and wheat combined. Soybeans and soybean products are Arkansas’s largest agricultural export. Of the $3.72 billion in total agriculture exports in 2014, the USDA estimates $1.2 billion were soybeans and soybean meal. Almost 85% of Arkansas Soybeans are irrigated. Advances in Agricultural production has allowed Arkansas farmers to produce 38.6-percent more soybeans on 32.3 fewer acres today compared to 40 years ago. Over the past 50 years, the average farmer has grown from feeding 26 people to 155 - a 500 percent increase! In 2014, animal agriculture consumed 27.9 million tons of soybean meal in the U.S.: the poultry industry consumed the bulk of this as 15.2 million tons went to feed broilers (11.2), turkeys (2), and layers (2). Turkeys are the fourth largest consumer of soybean meal in the U.S. It been estimated that that Americans eat 46 million turkeys at Thanksgiving, 22 million turkeys at Christmas and 19 million turkeys at Easter. Arkansas ranks 4th in the nation in soybean usage. Animal agriculture is the largest consumer of soybeans, consuming some 1.75 million tons of soybean
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meal in 2014, and accounting for $15.98 billion to the state’s economy and some 86,072 jobs. The food industry uses 87 percent of all soybean oil in consumer food products like baked goods, cooking oils, salad dressings, snack foods and more. In 2016, U.S. farmers began commercially producing a new high oleic soybean. Farmers produced 450,000 acres of the new varieties, which produce an oil that has zero trans fats and less saturated fats than commodity soybeans. In 2015, the U.S. produced 1.42 billion gallons of biodiesel. U.S. biodiesel manufacturers make most biodiesel from the oil in soybeans grown in the U.S. Raw soybeans are approximately 36 percent protein and 19 percent oil. When processed into soybean meal the concentration of crude protein is increased to 44 percent. Mulberry, Arkansas is the edamame capital of the U.S. Around 2,000 acres of edamame are produced by Arkansas farmers. This edamame is consumed by U.S. consumers as well as exported to Asian markets. Every U.S. soybean producer participates in the checkoff contributing at a rate of 0.5 percent of the market price per bushel, when the crop is first sold. These funds are used for research to improve the sustainability of soybeans as well as promote the use of soybeans. Arkansas ranks 3rd in the nation for turkey production raising 28 million turkeys last year. Turkeys are the 4th largest consumer of soybean meal in the U.S., consuming more than 2 million tons of soybean meal in 2014. #ARSoyMonth Adding soy to your diet can lower your cholesterol, which can result in a decreased risk of heart disease and stroke. For heart-healthy soy recipes, visit the Soyfoods Council: http://thesoyfoodscouncil.com/category/recipes/