Homegrown Homeruns

A Grand Slam for Soybean Farmers and the Iowa Hawkeyes

By Lauren Houska | Photos by Joseph L. Murphy

Baseball is the soundtrack of summer. Whether reminiscing about the glory days or anticipating an upcoming season, it is an iconic combination of hot dogs and ball caps, peanuts and Cracker Jacks.

Believe it or not, soybeans play a big role in gameday glory at the University of Iowa Duane Banks Stadium. While the Iowa City field may look like real grass, it’s actually artificial turf made with soybeans.

AstroTurf®, an artificial turf company that specializes in sports turf, created a product that replaces 60% of the petroleum oil-based polyurethane used in the backing of the turf with soybean oil. It’s made in America with U.S.-grown soybean oil.

Using soybeans in artificial turf might seem a little out of left field, but it’s a technology that farmers and researchers worked to develop for years.

U.S. soybean farmers have produced a record soybean crop for the last six years and are always looking for new product uses. A large percentage of Iowa grown soybeans are crushed into meal for livestock feed — yes, soybean farmers also had a hand in those delicious ballpark hot dogs!

When soybeans are crushed into meal, oil is created as a byproduct. Farmers need new, innovative ways to market this oil — and this artificial turf is one example.

It takes approximately five acres of soybeans to produce the backing for a typical baseball field. This makes each field a home run for soybean farmers and the Duane Banks Baseball Stadium a “field of dreams” for the Iowa Hawkeye baseball team.

SOYBEANS STEP UP TO THE PLATE

The University of Iowa is well known for its famous “America Needs Farmers” (ANF) logo, a testament born from the football program and shared by head baseball coach Rick Heller and the Hawkeye baseball team.

“Being in a farm state and beinga farm kid myself, it makesme extremely happy to knowsoybeans help make this the highqualityfield it is,” says Heller.

The two-phase project was completed in 2015. Heller says the durability and reduced maintenance time – it requires no mowing or weed control – have proven to be winning benefits.

Heller and the century-old Hawkeye baseball team also see the environmental benefits to their field, which never needs to be watered.

According to AstroTurf, each synthetic field can save millions of gallons of water per year.

“We have a lot of pride being from the state of Iowa,” Heller says. “We’re happy this turf can be a small way to show our support for Iowa farmers.”

“THERE’S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL”

Tom Hanks’ “A League of their own” character Coach Jimmy Dugan made it very clear “there’sno crying in baseball,” but it's especially true for AstroTurf, which is designed with safety as the top priority.

The soy-based backing helps lock synthetic grass fibers in place for optimal traction and cleat release, reducing torque that’s transmitted to knees and ankles. This benefit has proven to result in fewer injuries.

The fields also offer excellent shock absorption and antimicrobial treatments provide protection against mold, mildew, algae and bacteria.

SUSTAINABILITY IS THE MVP

“Our success, especially in farming states like Iowa, is in large part a direct result of farmers,” says Sydney Stahlbaum, director of sales support for AstroTurf.

She says AstroTurf is committed to helping clients reduce their carbon footprints. Harnessing the power of sustainable, renewable resources — like soybeans — is a key way the company reduces the environmental impact of their products.

U.S. soybean farmers are heavy hitters when it comes to sustainability. They’ve implemented sustainable practices on their farms for years and are committed to stewardship of air, water and soil.

In fact, they’ve knocked it out of the park over the last 30 years. According to research conducted by the United Soybean Board (USB), the nation’s soybean farmers use 40% less land, 35% less energy, 33% less water and contribute 44% less in greenhouse gas emissions than just three decades ago. USB says the industry’s goal is to improve each of these areas another 10% by 2025.

“We’re thankful for farmers who grow the soybeans that help us make a greener product for the rest of the world,” Stahlbaum says.

AMERICA NEEDS FARMERS

The success of Iowa farmers has been hard fought with generations of work, sweat and sacrifice.

Nearly 20,000 Iowa family farms went bankrupt during the 1980s Farm Crisis, ending generations of farm legacies. Nationally, the crisis claimed nearly 235,000 family farms.

At the time, University of Iowa head football coach Hayden Fry knew many of his players and most of the fans were impacted by the crisis in some way. As he worked to reubild the Hawkeye football legacy, Fry also went to work on a game plan to build support for farmes who were struggling.

When the Hawkeye football team advanced to the 1986 Rose Bowl, their game-day helmet included something new: A simple yellow circle with the letters "A-N-F" positioned immediately above the Tigerhawk on the right side of the headgear. It stood for "America Needs Farmers."

This meaningful circle is a testament to Coach Fry's commitment to Hawkeye players, fans and Iowans to showcase the importance and strength of farmers.

Today, ANF remains a university-wide effort in partnership with the Iowa Farm Bureau, to recognize the men and women who go the extra mile to not only grow safe, wholesome food, but to protect the land and the legacy of rural Iowa and the American farmer.

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