Soybeans Hit a Home Run

The Iowa Cubs boast an impressive lineup of all-star soy products

By Ann Thelen | Photos by Joseph L. Murphy

The crack of a bat hitting a fastball. The irresistible salty aroma of fresh popcorn, warm peanuts and iconic hot dogs. The commanding voice proclaiming, “Strike, you’re out!”

While the start of baseball season may be delayed, few things beat sitting in a ballpark, watching the hometown team play on a warm, sunny day.

The Iowa Cubs unite fans of all ages to savor the sweet thrills of stolen bases and no-hitters and fastballs. From the top rows of Principal Park to the dugout to the outfield wall, the team has a big-league advantage at the ballpark – soybean farmers. This surprising duo of farm fields and baseball fields have teamed up to bring home a win.

“It’s easy to underestimate the impact of soy-based products until you start looking for them. But once you do, it’s amazing,” says Clayton Grandquist, ticket manager for the Iowa Cubs. “It’s a testament to how much our day-today lives rely on Iowa’s farmers.”

SOY’S IN THE LINEUP

One of the most direct ways fans experience soy products is at the concession stands. From April to September each year, the 11,500- seat stadium fills with baseball enthusiasts, students, businesses and families. They’re not only hungry for a home team win – they’re hungry for traditional game-day concessions. And soybean farmers have a hand in the tasty foods fans crave.

High oleic soybean oil is used for frying favorites, such as pork tenderloins, French fries, chicken tenders, funnel cakes and more.

“When fans come to the ballpark, they often are looking for a special food treat – something they don’t have every day that is part of the game-day experience,” Grandquist says. “It’s not every day people are eating funnel cakes. But when the kids order a plate, we want it to be done well.”

Grown exclusively in the U.S., high oleic soybean oil checks all the boxes for being more efficient and less expensive than other oils. Plus, with its neutral flavor it has become a go-to oil at the ballpark.

“High oleic soybean oil is one of the latest innovations from the U.S. soybean industry, which invests in research to develop soybean varieties with improved characteristics,” explains April Hemmes, a soybean and corn farmer from Hampton. She is also a director for the Iowa Soybean Association and the United Soybean Board (USB). “Finding new uses for soybean products is a win-win for consumers and Iowa’s farmers who rely on strong markets for the beans they grow.”

Linda Funk, executive director of The Soyfoods Council, also has high praise for the investment of soybean checkoff dollars to develop high oleic oil. At the top of the list of benefits is its heart-healthy profile.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the use of a qualified health claim for oils high in oleic acid, including high oleic soybean oil, and their relationship to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease when replacing oils higher in saturated fats.

“Compared to many conventional vegetable oils, high oleic soybean oil contains lower saturated fat and three times the amount of beneficial monounsaturated fatty acids, which benefit heart health when consumed in moderation,” Funk says.

While the Iowa Cubs play 70 home games per season, fans can enjoy the benefits of high oleic soybean oil year-round at the Cub Club. The on-site restaurant is open daily and features a grand slam of delicious farm-raised proteins on its menu, including eggs, beef, pork, turkey and dairy.

SOY TOUCHES ALL THE BASES

When sitting in the stands, fans have a panoramic view of soy-based products. From the seats — which use soy-based plastics and adhesives — to the outfield wall, soy is everywhere.

Soy-based adhesives are waterbased systems formulated with natural soy flour and a proprietary crosslinking resin.

Even the outfield wall, which is laminated plywood, is soy-based. Thanks to an investment by USB and a partnership with Columbia Forest Products, the outfield’s PureBond ® Hardwood Plywood is a sustainable and unique decorative plywood paneling made with soybeans. U.S. soy is now inside 100 million panels of PureBond, which benefits thousands of customers, woodworking employees and U.S. soybean farmers.

The padding behind home plate and on the outfield wall, which is essential for keeping players safe during game play, also contains soy-based materials.

“Most of our outside painted elements, such as the foul poles and the markings along the top of the wall are painted with an oil-based paint with a soy component,” Grandquist says. “These paints are long-lasting and are known for dependability and withstanding the elements.”

He adds, “Even the things we use day-to-day, such as the office carpets, have soy incorporated, one way or another. It’s an important ingredient at our ballpark.”

From the ball field to the farm field, soybeans and baseball are clearing all the bases, game after game!

To view the full spread, view this magazine in your internet browser on your phone, tablet or desktop. This story is funded by the soybean checkoff.