Iowa Soybean Review | August 2023

August 2023

Soybean Month in Iowa

RESEARCHING A BETTER BEAN

Whether you’re dealing with drought, flood, heat or other climate-related stress, the soy checkoff is working behind the scenes to diversify U.S. soybean genetics and increase stress tolerance. We’re looking inside the bean, beyond the bushel and around the world to keep preference for U.S. soy strong. And it’s helping make a valuable impact for soybean farmers like you.

See more ways the soy checkoff is maximizing profit opportunities for soybean farmers at unitedsoybean.org

Executive Committee

President

Randy Miller, Lacona | D8

President-Elect

Suzanne Shirbroun, Farmersburg | D3

Secretary

Jeff Frank, Auburn | D4

Treasurer

Brent Swart, Spencer | D1

At-Large Director

Tom Adam, Harper | D9

Board of Directors

Chuck White, Spencer | D1

April Hemmes, Hampton | D2

Rick Juchems, Plainfield | D3

Marty Danzer, Carroll | D4

Morey Hill, Madrid | D5

Dave Struthers, Collins | D5

Robb Ewoldt, Davenport | D6

Dave Walton, Wilton | D6

Scot Bailey, Anita | D7

Lee Brooke, Clarinda | D7

Warren Bachman, Osceola | D8

Pat Swanson, Ottumwa | D9

Tim Bardole, Rippey | At Large

Steph Essick, Dickens | At Large

Lindsay Greiner, Keota | At Large

Brent Renner, Klemme | At Large

American Soybean Association

Board of Directors

Steph Essick, Dickens

Wayne Fredericks, Osage

Morey Hill, Madrid

Jeff Jorgenson, Sidney

Pat Swanson, Ottumwa

Dave Walton, Wilton

United Soybean Board of Directors

Tim Bardole, Rippey

Robb Ewoldt, Davenport

Lindsay Greiner, Keota

April Hemmes, Hampton

Brent Renner, Klemme

Staff Credits

Editor | Bethany Baratta

CO of Strategy & Brand Management | Aaron Putze, APR

Photographer | Joclyn Bushman

Communications Specialist | Joseph Hopper

Creative Design Coordinator | Susan Langman

Writer | Jeff Hutton

Writer | Kriss Nelson

Public Relations Manager | Brock Johnston

Iowa Soybean Review is published monthly by:

Iowa Soybean Association

1255 SW Prairie Trail Parkway, Ankeny, Iowa 50023 (515) 251-8640 | iasoybeans.com

E-mail: bbaratta@iasoybeans.com

For advertising information contact Bethany Baratta at (515) 334-1020 or bbaratta@iasoybeans.com.

Comments and statewide news articles should be sent to the above address. Advertising space reservations must be made two months preceding publication. In consideration of the acceptance of the advertisement, the agency and the advertiser must, in respect of the contents of the advertisement, indemnify and save the publisher harmless against any expense arising from claims or actions against the publisher because of the publication of the content of the advertisement.

AUGUST 2023 | Vol. 35, No. 11

8

Driving Research to Reality

Find out how the Iowa Soybean Association’s (ISA) Research Center for Farming Innovation (RCFI) provides technical expertise to Iowa’s soybean farmers.

10

The Next 10 — and Beyond

After recognizing the first 10 years under the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy as the Defining Decade, what’s next?

16

Improving Technology to Meet Goals

Technology and tools help farmers make progress in water quality.

30

Partnerships for Soy

New partnerships expand soy’s footprint locally and globally.

On the Cover:

Summer soybeans growing near Dyersville. This month, which is Soybean Month in Iowa, we recognize the 42,000 Iowa soybean farmers who grow soy in the state. Iowa farmers grew nearly 587 million bushels of soybeans in 2022.

The Andes Mountains, illuminated by the sun’s first rays, rose high above clouds as our Delta Air Lines flight descended into Chile’s capital city of Santiago. Joining me aboard the 11-hour flight from Des Moines via Atlanta were Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) President-elect Suzanne Shirbroun and farmer leaders and staff from Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and South Dakota soy.

The purpose of the weeklong trade mission in early June was to sell more soybeans to the country of 20 million. Conversations with soybean buyers, meat and poultry producers, supermarket meat case managers and restaurateurs are key to accomplishing the mission.

So is time.

The Andes is the world’s longest continental mountain range. It snakes its way along the western edge of South America for nearly

The Power of Time

Aaron Putze, APR ISA Chief Officer, Strategy & Brand Management aputze@iasoybeans.com

5,500 miles (for comparison, the distance from New York to San Francisco is 2,900 miles). The mountains extend from north to south through Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Columbia and Venezuela with its peaks averaging 13,123 feet.

Scientists estimate the force of nature that created the Andes occurred 6-10 million years ago. That amount of time is impossible to comprehend and easy to forget, especially today when communications are instantaneous and patience is in short supply.

The power of time takes many forms. Mountain ranges like the Andes are one example. Another is building markets for U.S. soy.

To make a sale, you must do many things, from studying the lay of the land to developing relationships and determining logistics. Knowing what your customer wants and needs is a critical first step, requiring time, energy and perseverance.

ISA farmer leaders used this game plan more than 30 years ago when they traveled to China. During their multiple trips, they engaged with livestock producers and processors, provincial leaders, retailers and manufacturers. Despite China being a net exporter of soy and

home to “just” 900 million people at the time, Iowa soybean farmers anticipated the country’s growth, modernization and urbanization and the kind of soybean demand that would be needed to accommodate the country’s growing appetite for protein. Today, China’s population is more than 1.2 billion and it’s the world’s top market for soy.

Boots on the ground — like our time in Chile — is mandatory for building global U.S. market share for soybeans. The best (and really only) way to learn and build relationships is to exchange greetings face-to-face, walk in the footsteps of a potential buyer, see what they see and share stories of family around a dinner table. That’s why conducting and hosting trade missions is critical, especially as domestic soybean meal inventories grow, driven by demand for more oil for soy-based biofuels.

Big results begin with small steps. Most people give up early in the journey. Iowa soybean farmers, backed by the soybean checkoff, are in it for the long haul and, as a result, will ultimately move mountains of soybean meal to countries like Chile and beyond.

“

The man who moves mountains begins by carrying away small stones.”

Confucius

SAY NO TO STATUS QUO

Are you ready to accept the challenge to be a better-thanaverage soybean farmer?

“ That was a question posed during a soybean meeting I attended. The speaker said farmers who can improve their productivity by at least five percent over average are farmers who will succeed. While there may be many ways to improve our production plan, one of the first that came to my mind is one we already invest in: the Soybean Research & Information Network (SRIN).

Research is one of the primary buckets funded through state and national soybean checkoff dollars. As a checkoff organization representative, I often get asked how our checkoff money is spent and whether it generates return on investment. Unequivocally, I know SRIN is worth every dime. ”

SRIN is a website that was created to share with farmers results from research that is housed in the National Soybean Checkoff Research Database for every state. SRIN representatives read through the research reports and boil down the information for farmers to understand and easily implement on their operations. The site highlights state soybean research programs, profiles key soybean researchers, hosts a YouTube channel of educational videos and farmer perspectives on production challenges, as well as shares diagnostic tools, agronomic tips and pest control recommendations by state and region. Content is constantly added to keep the site fresh and relevant and is supplemented by a timely social media presence and monthly e-newsletter.

Brent Renner, farmer from Klemme, Iowa

Funded by the soybean checkoff

HELPING YOU DELIVER ON DEMAND

Whether it’s improving soybean meal to outperform the competition or promoting the sustainability of U.S. soy, the soy checkoff has been working behind the scenes to help farmers satisfy their customers’ needs. We’re looking inside the bean, beyond the bushel and around the world to keep preference for U.S. soy strong. And for U.S. soybean farmers like you, the impact is invaluable.

See more ways the soy checkoff is maximizing profit opportunities for farmers at unitedsoybean.org

Rural Route 2

Editor’s Note by Bethany

Baratta bbaratta@iasoybeans.com

Diving In

Iwon’t forget the look on my son’s sun-kissed face when he learned he passed swimming lessons. He worked hard for 20 lessons — five days a week for four weeks — to pass the beginner lessons at the community pool. Upon learning he needed more practice and didn’t score high enough to pass the first time, he asked to repeat the twoweek session.

He was committed. He found the perfect pair of swim goggles. He practiced during his days at the pool, preparing for his nightly lessons. Each evening, he jumped in, crouching less every time and immersing his 42-inch frame. He didn’t need anyone to catch him in the pool this time. He asked if he could jump in “just one more time” at the end of each lesson. His eyes lit up when the instructors said he could; his smile turned to a shiver as 7:30 p.m. approached too quickly.

He went from being nervous on the edge of the pool, hesitant to jump in, to a confident swimmer.

His practice and persistence paid off.

It’s fun to see him use the edge of the pool as a springboard now, entertaining us as he twists in the

air before flopping into the pool, frequently shouting “cannonball!” each time.

“Did you see that jump, Mom?!”

“I saw that, buddy!”

And I see you, too, readers.

Last year, you made quite the splash as you harvested nearly 587 million bushels of soybeans in Iowa, valued at more than $8.08 billion.

I see how you’re constantly thinking about inputs and outputs. How you’re praying for rain — not too much, but enough to keep your crops nourished.

You don’t yell “cannonball” (but maybe you should!). You don’t count the number of lessons — those are immeasurable on the farm.

In August, we celebrate Soybean Month in Iowa with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ proclamation signing. But we recognize your commitment and persistence year-round.

Your checkoff investments are making a difference locally and globally. In 2022, your soybean checkoff invested more than $2.3 million in soil conservation, water quality and nutrient management. Leveraged with another $1.4 million in non-checkoff resources, this investment supported more than 40 Iowa Soybean Association (ISA)led soil and water quality projects. Your participation in local, state and national soybean activities, programs and board positions helps the industry dive deeper. Showing up at the statehouse or on Capitol Hill to talk to a policymaker gives credence to ISA priorities.

Thank you for your passion and persistence. I can’t wait to watch you glide into harvest — with or without goggles — and see the fruits of your labor.

DRIVING RESEARCH TO REALITY

Welcome to a new monthly segment in the Iowa Soybean Review, which focuses on the insights derived from the Iowa Soybean Association’s (ISA) Research Center for Farming Innovation (RCFI) research and programming. Each month, agronomists and researchers will provide technical insights on agronomic and conservation topics from their research and experiences.

The research conducted throughout Iowa by the RCFI team is made possible through your checkoff investment. With guidance from the RCFI Advisory Committee, we are strengthening our efforts in communicating the results from these research efforts to help you make informed decisions on your farm. In doing so, we further our commitment to continually improve using the Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) cycle of progress. We introduced the concept of PDCA to Iowa farmers during our Innovation to Profit

webinar in March. Our team is focused on continual growth and improvement, just as you are on your farm. We make plans, check the progress as often as necessary or valuable, understand the progress or value of our current path, and then adjust our plans. We continually work to improve our program to be efficient, effective and valuable to Iowa farmers.

In future issues of this magazine, you will learn more about manure management research and the effect of cover crops on nutrient loss and nitrogen efficiency, the process of restoring an oxbow pond and the expected benefits, and the collaboration to drive nitrogen research with Iowa State University’s Iowa Nitrogen Initiative. We’ll also explore the feasibility and valueadd that an ag water drainage project can bring to your farm and the results from soybean management projects. You can also get involved in the research

Joe McClure, ISA Director of Research jmcclure@iasoybeans.com

Roger Wolf, ISA Director of Conservation rwolf@iasoybeans.com

and projects that will be described in these pages. Contact us if you want to host a research location on your farm. We want to help you answer questions on your farm and ensure that all of Iowa is represented in our research. The goal of sharing information in the magazine is to create another outlet for information that can positively affect farmers’ profitability, productivity and sustainability. We look forward to providing results from research completed by the RCFI team or the benefits of a conservation practice. The authors will provide insights to help you understand how to implement an agronomic or conservation practice and the potential benefits that effort could bring to the field or farm. Easy-to-read messages, charts and other information — like those accompanying this installment — will be provided to highlight the most important points of the research.

In our long term cover crop trials we have observed that soybeans have a yield reduction in the first year of use and following years see no reduction in yield.

In corn, there is no significant difference in yield, but the greater variability in yield response requires additional study.

Conservation practices such as no till, reduced till and cover crops can help reduce nutrient loss from fields. No till and reduced tillage are great at reducing phosphorus loss, but cover crops help mitigate both phosphorous and nitrogen loss from the field.

“Working with ISA RCFI is a transparent experience; the data benefits farmers. We put a lot of faith and trust in the data ISA provides.”

Aimee Bissell, ISA RCFI advisory committee member

Soybean Yield Difference Across Cover Crop Years

Corn Yield Difference Across Cover Crop Years

BUSHELS/A YIELD DIFFERENCE

BUSHELS/A YIELD DIFFERENCE

The Next 10 Years

“ Do you want your children to be able to farm?” asks Linn County farmer and Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) member Jim O’Connell. “If we don’t start doing things to help the environment, your sons or daughters may not have that opportunity.”

That’s part of the message that O’Connell and others offer as Iowa continues its quest to continue the progress of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy (NRS) and improve water quality. After the first 10 years of implementing the NRS, what needs to happen in the future to protect against soil

erosion and damage, and improve water quality while simultaneously bettering yields and bolstering a farmer’s bottom line?

More to do

While conservation advancements have been made in the past decade on Iowa farms, more must be done.

“We’ve come a long way, and we have a long way to go,” says Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “We are proud of our progress, but we are not satisfied. We know there is much more work to do in the years ahead. As we head into the second decade of the nutrient

reduction strategy, the pace of this work will continue to accelerate.”

Progress needs to build upon the types of cost-share programs that have proven successful while also embracing working lands conservation to keep farmland productive, he says.

“The advent of markets based on sustainability metrics and credits could be promising if it benefits the farmers making investments in soil health and conservation,” Naig says.

Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance (IAWA) Executive Director Sean McMahon agrees.

— and Beyond

A decade for the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy; now what?

STORY BY JEFF HUTTON IMAGES COURTESY OF IAWA

“The first decade of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy implementation saw tremendous progress in scaling up conservation practices to improve water quality,” he says. “Iowa is already No. 1 in the nation in numerous conservation practices, including conservation tillage, nutrient treatment wetlands, pollinator habitat, saturated buffers, bioreactors, grass waterways, terraces and buffers.”

McMahon says there are plenty of reasons for optimism. He looks forward to the addition of conservation agronomists

Rural and urban leaders are working together for water quality and hope that no-till and cover crop fields like this one become a more common site in the Cedar Rapids area. No-till and cover crops provide in-field benefits like reduced erosion and soil health while providing downstream benefits like water quality, and flood risk reduction.

to leverage farmers’ most trusted advisors to deliver more conservation through the ag retail sector. These agronomists can help farmers implement globally leading nitrogen recommendations coming out of Iowa State University’s (ISU) Iowa Nitrogen Initiative in the next few years. There’s also the record levels of federal funding for conservation practices and the increasing number of opportunities for farmers and landowners to receive market payments for ecosystem services.

“As we enter the next decade of implementing the strategy,

Iowa will benefit from nearly 20 different Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities projects,” says McMahon, noting that IAWA helped secure $80 million in funding for the Horizon II project, which is being led by Roeslein Alternative Energy (RAE), with support from ISU, IAWA, ISA and other partners.

“This project will pay farmers and landowners to grow native prairie plants and cover crops, which will be combined with manure in anaerobic digesters that will produce clean, renewable natural gas,” he says. “RAE’s

Continued on Page 12

vision is to leverage this project to scale up 30 million acres of restored prairie and drive adoption of another 100 million acres of cover crops throughout the Mississippi River Basin. Accomplishing these goals would be transformational for improving water quality, restoring soil health, reducing soil erosion, creating wildlife habitat and reducing flood risk to downstream communities.”

On the farm

At the forefront of the Iowa NRS are the conservation practices underway by Iowa’s farmers.

O’Connell and fellow ISA farmermember Dan Voss of Benton County have been instrumental in this effort by making changes on their farms. Both were part of the field days highlighting the NRS’ 10th anniversary in May. Voss and O’Connell have put numerous conservation efforts into practice that have directly and positively impacted the Cedar River Watershed. Their work is part of the Cedar River Source Water Partnership (CRSWP) designed

to help protect water resources for the City of Cedar Rapids.

“In our area, the adaptation of these practices is proof that conservation has caught on,” says Voss, who has implemented a variety of conservation projects on his farm over the past 10 years.

The same can be said for O’Connell.

“It was a no-brainer to me,” says O’Connell, who recently developed a wetland on his land to improve water quality. “It not only helps me, but it helps everyone. I want clean water, too.”

Wetlands, cover crops, bioreactors, saturated buffers and other edge-offield practices are critical, Voss and O’Connell say, because protecting land and water is critical.

Both agree that farmers, understandably, might be hesitant to adopt these practices — the unknown and any kind of change can be scary.

“I think many farmers are unaware of what the nutrient reduction strategy is,” Voss says, hoping he and others

can bring more awareness to the issue.

O’Connell says he’s on board with changes on the farm because it’s imperative to protect soil and water resources.

“I think the incentives will help tremendously with continued funding for the next several years,” he says. “I’m also a big believer in education.” He hopes his efforts bring more awareness of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy.

“We need to break the cycle and say that it’s OK to no-till, strip-till and not work the ground up,” O’Connell says. “We need to change hearts and minds. Many farmers are intimidated by conservation because they don’t know where to start.”

While O’Connell and Voss want elected leaders at the local, state and federal levels to understand the value of these conservation efforts, they don’t want to see mandates.

Partnerships further efforts

Both agree that voluntary efforts by more producers, along with

Urban and rural leaders and learners come together to discuss water quality best practices at a recent Cedar Rapids field day. Attendees got a firsthand look at farm practices as well as a drinking water facility.

Cedar Rapids-area farmer Jim O’Connell speaks during a recent farm tour touting his conservation efforts that is making on his farm as well as improving water quality and reducing nutrient loss.

ISA Conservation Agronomist Evan Brehm shares insights into conservation efforts on farm fields across eastern Iowa.

continued partnerships between the ag sector, retailers, businesses, private entities and government, is key, not unlike the CRSWP.

“Look at Cedar Rapids,” Voss says. “They want quality water for their production facilities and residents. The public wants it.”

Events like the ones hosted as part of IAWA’s recognition of the Defining Decade help farmers get a firsthand look at the efforts in the state to promote conservation.

“We’re still learning,” O’Connell says. “It’s trial and error every year. It’s about taking baby steps.”

In the end, the two men agree collaborative efforts over the next decade will be essential to meeting the goals outlined in the strategy.

“We all need to do something to work toward that goal,” Voss says. “It pains my heart to drive down the road and see planting right next to a stream. I hate to see that soil slough off into the creek.”

For some, like O’Connell, seeing is believing.

“I remember planting cover crops during one of those first years,” O’Connell says. “We had a 6-inch rain, and I noticed the waterway wasn’t cloudy or dirty. I have to believe the cover crops helped. I also had some of the best yields ever.”

Forecast for the future

ISA agronomists advise farmers in determining what cover crop species to grow or what edge-of-field practices to implement on the farm.

“We need to showcase the efforts farmers have implemented and how they’re making a difference as we work toward the goals of the strategy,” says ISA Conservation Agronomist Evan Brehm.

ISA staff can also help farmers find cost-sharing programs that encourage conservation adoption.

“We need to encourage farmers and landowners to seek out cost-sharing programs and help to build confidence in implementing long-term practice adoption,” Brehm says.

“Continuing conservation road

tours that reach more farmers would be helpful,” he adds. “We need to have real conversations — farmers listen to other farmers.”

No better time than the present

For Voss and O’Connell, the future is now.

It’s got to be all hands on deck,” says Voss. “When I started implementing conservation on my farm, I didn’t know that it would apply to my whole farm. You have to start somewhere.”

“The ground is given to us to care for and maintain,” says O’Connell. “I learned from my dad that if you use somebody else’s equipment, you better return it in better shape from when you borrowed it. I look at the ground the same way. I want my son to have a better product when he starts to farm.”

Contact Jeff Hutton at jhutton@iasoybeans.com

IAWA Executive Director Sean McMahon touts the importance of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy and how continued efforts will benefit farmers and all Iowans.

Iowa is already No. 1 in the nation in numerous conservation practices, including conservation tillage, nutrient treatment wetlands, pollinator habitat, saturated buffers, bioreactors, grass waterways, terraces and buffers.”

Sean McMahon, Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance (IAWA) executive director

FAST 5

Opportunities to address water quality in the next 10 years.

BY JEFF HUTTON

Roger Wolf, ISA director of conservation and executive director of Agriculture’s Clean Water Alliance (ACWA), weighs in on opportunities to address water quality in the next 10 years.

Continue

Continue

Stack multiple practices to achieve multiplicity of outcomes and create circular economic opportunities to sustain.

For example: Many nutrient reduction practices can also deliver on other valuable outcomes, such as habitat creation, integration and nutrient reduction, supply chain sustainability interests, and adaptation strategies for dealing with drought and flooding.

There are also strategies that can assist with livestock, such as row crop integration and the emergence of new revenue drivers in the ag system like farmers producing cover crop seed and custom management services.

Agribusinesses are working on new products and services to help farmers. This is good because in many cases farmers rely on leading companies who understand farmer fields and cropping systems, have data and equipment capabilities that enable farmers to adjust in their management systems.

Advance policies that give more predictability and certainty, securing technical and financial assistance for more sustainable solutions beyond research and demonstration. Contact Jeff Hutton

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ISA Field Services Program Manager Brandon Iddings stands in a newly formed oxbow.

Harnessing technology to meet reduction goals.

BY KRISS NELSON

As farmers work toward meeting the goals of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy (NRS), producers will be looking for new and improved technologies for in-field and edge-of-field conservation practices.

The Iowa Soybean Association’s (ISA) Research Center for Farming Innovation (RCFI) is continuing its commitment to finding practical solutions for improving water quality.

“The Iowa Soybean Association understands the Iowa farmer and is doing the research feasible for their land to come up with good, solid solutions to meet goals set by the nutrient reduction strategy,” says ISA President-Elect Suzanne Shirbroun, who farms near Farmersburg in Clayton County.

Drainage water recycling

Recycling drainage water is a promising edge-of-field practice. Research on storing water in a pond or reservoir for irrigation later in the growing season shows hope it will support an addition to the Iowa NRS.

“The impetus behind this practice is that it can be seen as a win-win practice,” says ISA Conservation Design Specialist Chris Hay. “The farmer gets the benefit of

increased yields from supplemental irrigation, and there is a water quality benefit from capturing and reusing the water and nutrients instead of letting them go downstream.”

Research shows there is potential to lower nitrogen and phosphorus loads. Studies from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada have documented nitrogen loss reductions of 40-70% and phosphorus loss reductions of 12-36%.

By implementing a drainage water recycling practice, modeling work done with Purdue University predicts reductions in downstream nitrogen delivery of 24-37% and phosphorus 21-39% in Iowa and Indiana.

Studies are just beginning on the practice’s effects on water quality in Iowa.

“We have more data on yields, and there has been good yield information, so it is encouraging,” Hay says. “Now we are researching the water quality and nutrient load aspects. With sites we have constructed, we can monitor the

flow and nutrient concentration to develop the water quality data.”

On a site in Calhoun County, testing show a 72% reduction in nitrates entering the drainage water.

“That reduction is encouraging, but we will need more years of data to get a better handle on what the realistic average is going to be,” says Hay.

Saturated buffers

Further innovation of existing edge-of-field practices, including saturated buffers, is underway. An automated control structure, for example, would combine two practices: a controlled drainage system and a saturated buffer.

The addition of an automated control structure would facilitate drainage management in the field bringing as much water as possible into the saturated buffer to be treated.

Modeling progress

Hay serves in an advisory role for a model being designed at Michigan State University. This model assists in locating saturated

buffers and calculating soil types, water drainage and nutrient load.

“We can put that information in and, with the model, have a good estimate of what the nitrate reduction will be for a specific saturated buffer,” says Hay. “We can look at expected costs and benefits — a way to most effectively and efficiently spend the funds we have to install these practices.”

Once they develop the model, ISA will apply it to some watersheds in Iowa.

“We will demonstrate how the model works and what the benefits can be with the hope that it will become a useful tool for future saturated buffer siting,” he says.

Bioreactor management

Iowa State University is conducting research on the feasibility of pumping water into a bioreactor during the summer when drainage stops.

“Bioreactors reduce nitrates during spring drainage, but as we move into summer, things tend to dry up,” says Hay. “When the

"

The Iowa Soybean Association understands the Iowa farmer and is doing the research feasible for their land to come up with good, solid solutions to meet goals set by the nutrient reduction strategy."

Suzanne Shirbroun, Clayton County farmer and ISA president-elect

bioreactor is dry, the woodchips will age and possibly degrade faster. It could be more efficient to keep water running through the bioreactor.”

The research should provide insights on using a drainage ditch, stream or main to pump water into the bioreactor, treating it and putting it back to the water source after it goes through the bioreactor.

“This process keeps the bioreactor efficient, and we’re reducing more nitrates by treating as much water as possible,” says Hay.

Reducing phosphorous

In 2017, blind inlets were added to the Iowa NRS list of practices that can help reduce phosphorus.

Blind inlets replace surface inlets used in a field’s drainage tile system. This practice involves removing the riser in lower or pothole areas of the field.

A grid of perforated pipes is installed in the ground and covered by gravel.

“This allows water to filter through the gravel before it gets to the pipes, so sediment and phosphorus settle out, reducing phosphorus losses from the field that otherwise would have gone straight through the drainage system,” says Hay.

Treatment through oxbows

Oxbows are winding streams, rivers or creeks that have become separated from the main flow of water and, over time, have become filled with sediment.

Oxbows are restored by

excavating soil to historic riverbed depth allowing access to ground water and creating deeper pools.

ISA Field Services Program Manager Brandon Iddings notes that 35-54% of water from field tiles is treated when entering a restored oxbow.

To help make oxbows more efficient in improving water quality, water control structures are installed on the downstream side of the oxbow.

“This allows the oxbow to hold more water,” Iddings says. “The more water it holds, the more nitrates are treated.”

Already recognized as a practice in the NRS, ISA teamed up with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Resource Enhancement Protection, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and the Nature Conservancy to create a resource for conservation professionals or landowners who are on a mission to restore an oxbow.

The Oxbow Restoration Toolkit is a 29-page step-by-step guide available on the Nature Conservancy’s website.

“We’re broadening the conservation folks’ toolbox on how to implement oxbows so they can go out and work for the landowners,” says Iddings.

“The Iowa Soybean Association will continue to be a leader in conservation practices, such as oxbows, and help grow these Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategyapproved practices statewide.”

Contact Kriss Nelson at knelson@iasoybeans.com

A friendly llama at Jones Dairy in Milford.

A hereford bull grazes in the Amana Colonies.

A farmer uses a John Deere tractor to plant soybeans near Ossian.

Refilling the planter with soybeans near Spencer.

Jeff Frank spending time with his golden retriever.

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Top photo courtesy of SNI Global

IOWA SOYBEAN RESEARCH CENTER

BY GREG TYLKA, ISRC DIRECTOR AND PROFESSOR OF PLANT PATHOLOGY, ENTOMOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY

Soybeans are always front and center at the Iowa Soybean Research Center (ISRC) at Iowa State University (ISU). But this month, we also join others in hosting a variety of activities celebrating soybeans during Soybean Month in Iowa.

ISRC is hosting several educational outreach activities to promote soybeans and soybean research at ISU, including the following:

AUG. 2 | EXPERIENCE CLASS

ISRC will host the Iowa Soybean Association’s (ISA) Experience Class at ISU’s Field Extension Education Laboratory near Boone with a tour of the teaching farm, demonstration plots and an opportunity to learn from ISU graduate students and staff about how to identify soybean diseases. The group also will stop at the nearby Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy Research Farm, where they will learn more about a new ISRC-funded research project to study continuous soybean production with the goal of helping Iowa farmers meet an anticipated increase in demand for soy oil in coming years.

AUG. 2 | PACKAGING MEALS

Also on Aug. 2, 50 ISU students, staff and faculty volunteers will package more than 38,000 meals for Meals from the Heartland at ISU’s Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center. This is the third consecutive year for the event, sponsored by Cargill through generous monetary donations to cover the cost of the ingredients, including soy protein. Meals from the Heartland works with teams of volunteers from local organizations who package meals for delivery to food insecure people in Iowa, across the U.S. and around the

world. Some of the meals packaged at the ISRC-hosted event will stay in Ames and be delivered to ISU’s on-campus food pantry, SHOP (Students Helping Our Peers), and a long-time food pantry in Ames, Food at First. The remaining meals will be distributed as needed.

AUG. 7 | ANNUAL FIELD TOUR

ISRC will take a one-day field trip with ISU soybean researchers, staff and graduate students from campus in the departments of agronomy, agricultural and biosystems engineering and plant pathology, entomology, and microbiology on its annual field tour. These tours are a favorite of many who have participated and provide attendees with an opportunity to experience farm operations and agricultural-related businesses that grow or work with soybeans firsthand. On a few occasions, it has been the first time that a tour participant has visited a farm. This year’s tour will visit Bruce and Jenny Wessling’s farm near Grand Junction to learn about their low-till farming operation. They grow 4,600 acres of corn and soybeans and finish nearly 19,000 pigs each year. Another stop on the tour will be Clayton Farms, an indoor vertical farm that grows local produce hydroponically. The farm is located at the ISU Research Park in Ames.

AUG. 23 | SOYFEST

The highlight event of the year for the center is SoyFest. ISRC will host its second biennial SoyFest on ISU’s central campus near the Parks Library from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This free, outdoor celebration of all things soy features Iowa vendors, ISU research labs and student clubs to highlight the importance of soy and its many

uses in everyday life from food to innovative products. SoyFest will offer grilled pork and soy-veggie burgers, soy-related snacks, robotic and other technological demonstrations, soy-themed prize giveaways, carnival games, a special drawing for students, soy-based ice cream and a visit from ISU's mascot, Cy. The event is a fun, educational opportunity for ISU students during the first week of classes, and the public is welcome to attend. Two exciting, new games at SoyFest will be a putting green hosted by SYNLawn made with artificial soy-backed grass and a wooden “Soyhole” beanbag toss game donated by Columbia Forest Products and made with its PureBond® soy-based adhesive decorative plywood.

Some of the participating businesses and groups contributing to SoyFest 2023 include ISA, the Iowa Food & Family Project, ISU Creamery, Corteva Agriscience, the Iowa Turkey Federation, Hy-Vee, Iowa Smokehouse, Old Capitol Food Co., Okabashi Shoes, Laura Soybeans, Ames Ford Lincoln, Chevron-REG, U.S. Department of Agriculture and numerous ISU undergraduate student clubs. Several ISU researchers funded by ISA also will provide hands-on learning experiences.

We look forward to hosting the ISA Experience Class and appreciate the continued support of ISA and the Iowa Food & Family Project at our SoyFest event. We are also grateful for support from the many organizations, farmers and researchers that help us with all of our events.

Keep up with ISRC’s activities on Twitter @ISU_SoyCenter, LinkedIn, or at iowasoybeancenter.org and sign up for our quarterly newsletter.

Contact Greg Tylka at gltylka@iastate.edu

A West African Poultry Farmer

Prefers Your U.S. Soybean Meal

“I prefer U.S. Soy because I learned about its quality through WISHH,” says Mathew Bonso who founded Harimat farms in 2018 in the West African country of Ghana. Bonso soon began working with WISHH through its U.S. Department of Agriculture Food for Progress Project. He credits WISHH’s feed quality training, egg nutrition campaign and more as key to the management and profitability of his 50,000-bird flock. Today, WISHH continues to work with Bonso as he expands into broiler production.

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Collaborations extend soy’s reach.

BY KRISS NELSON

Powered by the soybean checkoff, the United Soybean Board (USB) has a strategic vision to partner to deliver sustainable soy solutions to every life, every day. From food to candles and tires to adhesives, soy is vital in various components of feeding and fueling the world.

“I am very proud of how our checkoff investments have been used and what they have accomplished,” says April Hemmes, ISA District 2 director who also serves as a USB director and chair of USB’s demand action team. “We have an impressive story to tell about sustainable soybean production, and many organizations seek to partner with the soybean industry.”

Creating partnerships helps develop the soy market, maximizing farmers’ return on investment.

“Checkoff dollars promote and grow markets that help create customer preference for soy and soy products,” says Grant Kimberley, ISA senior director of market development.

Making an impact

U.S. soy offers many ways to reduce environmental impact, a key priority noted among consumers and businesses, says Karen Edwards, a USB consultant working on expanding soy’s prominence.

However, Edwards notes there is “no bio-based field of dreams.”

“Just because you build a bio-based product, it does not mean just anybody is going to buy it,” she says.

Edwards and the USB team build demand and highlight the products’ advantages over traditional products.

“These partnerships — thanks to U.S. farmers through their checkoff dollars — have invested in so many exciting new uses,” she says.

Goodyear tires are a prime example. USB and Goodyear partnered on research in 2011. The soy checkoff breakthrough investment led to tires with soybean oil as a replacement for petroleum oil. Goodyear won the prestigious Tire Technology International Award for Innovation and Excellence in the “Environmental Achievement of the Year” category in 2018.

“Now, we have major cities rolling on soy, thanks to Goodyear for sticking with the research and bringing it to commercialization,” Edwards says.

Hemmes talked tires in Los Angeles in 2022 to Goodyear’s local fleet leaders to help them understand the value of soy for the sustainability and performance of the tires. During the visit, USB and a fleet organization partnered to teach fleets about biodiesel and soy-biobased products, such as Goodyear’s soy oilbased tires.

They discovered the tires were an excellent fit for their fleets and performed better than traditional tires.

“Not only does this partnership bring the sustainability of soy to light, but we get to tell our story on how we raise our crops to people who have never been on a farm,” she says.

To have a major metropolitan area, such as New York City or Washington, D.C., try a bio-based product is no simple task.

“We have found common ground with major cities that were unaware of the sustainable solutions U.S. soy offers,” Edwards says.

Edwards is awaiting final approval from a deputy commissioner of New York City for a trial of soy-based asphalt developed by Iowa State University and marketed by Ames-based Colorbiotics.

Cleaner cities

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities Coalition, made up of 75 cities, works to promote affordable, domestic transportation fuels and energyefficient mobility systems.

Edwards and her team took a unique approach with the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition. They pointed out that while B20 and B100 blends of biodiesel power their fleets, why not use a soy-based

Grant Kimberley, ISA senior director of market development

road for the nation’s capital city, too?

As these partnerships take time, they patiently await a response to move forward.

“Farmers have long invested in biodiesel, which has started cities down a path of recognizing soy as a benefit,” says Edwards.

Decreasing health risks

USB has partnered with the American Lung Association to provide a Biobased Academy to further soy-biobased products in vehicle fleets.

This program educates employees about bio-based products’ operational, health, safety and environmental benefits.

“Once the American Lung Association trains staff, they see the value of U.S. soy, not only for sustainability goals but for the benefit of their employees,” says Edwards. “They are trying to reduce employees’ exposure to harsh chemicals, and soy is a great part of the solution.”

The success of this partnership is exemplified at the University of Virginia. After participating in the training, the university is switching to soy-based tires and looking into other soy-based products.

A purr-fect product

A partnership between USB and the Yield Lab Institute created the Soy Innovation Challenge, encouraging applicants to find nontraditional ways to use soybean meal.

One of the four finalists was “SoyKitty,” an innovative pet company that creates premium

companion animal products that are safer for people, pets and the planet. The company offers a nontoxic cat litter made from soybean hulls for environmentally conscious cat owners.

“It’s amazing what one little soybean can do,” says Hemmes. “The company’s product is still in development but should be in production soon.”

Soy-based fire suppressants

One recent partnership aims to fight fires with soy.

“This could be a win for everyone,” says Edwards.

Soy protein replaces the per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals” in traditional fire suppressants to offer safer solutions to firefighting.

“Federal and state governments want safer alternatives to protect firefighters and those who live in communities where they spray those chemicals,” Edwards says. “We hope the product passes through the extensive and rigorous testing required to bring it to market soon.”

Soy much momentum

Hemmes served on the committee developing the strategic plan for USB, where partnerships received top billing.

“We asked the board what they would like to see, and one of the top responses was partnerships,” she says. “We know our checkoff investments go much further when we partner with others.”

Contact Kriss Nelson at knelson@iasoybeans.com

“I am very proud of how our checkoff investments have been used and what they have accomplished. We have an impressive story to tell about sustainable soybean production, and many organizations seek to partner with the soybean industry.”

April Hemmes, ISA District 2 director

( YOU )

Who went from 0 to 13% fast? YOU did.

All soybean farmers, including you, created biodiesel, which supports 13% of the price per bushel of soybeans. How? By pooling your resources through your soy checkoff. Learn how your soy checkoff is bringing tangible returns back to you and your operation at iasoybeans.com

Moving