Iowa Soybean Review | April 2024

'Certain' About Soy

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

Suzanne Shirbroun, Farmersburg | D3

President-Elect

Brent Swart, Spencer | D1

Secretary

Tom Adam, Harper | D9

Treasurer

Jeff Frank, Lake View | D4

At-Large Director

Brent Renner, Klemme | D2

Board of Directors

Paul Kassel, Spencer | D1

April Hemmes, Hampton | D2

Sam Showalter, Hampton | D2

Rick Juchems, Plainfield | D3

Marty Danzer, Carroll | D4

Corey Goodhue, Carlisle | 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

Randy Miller, Lacona | D8

Pat Swanson, Ottumwa | D9

Tim Bardole, Rippey | At-Large

Aimee Bissell, Bedford | At-Large

Sharon Chism, Huxley | At-Large

American Soybean Association

Board of Directors

Tom Adam, Harper

Steph Essick, Dickens

Morey Hill, Madrid

Randy Miller, Lacona

Pat Swanson, Ottumwa

Dave Walton, Wilton

United Soybean Board of Directors

Tim Bardole, Rippey

Robb Ewoldt, Davenport

April Hemmes, Hampton

Brent Renner, Klemme

Staff Credits

Bethany Baratta | Editor

Aaron Putze, APR | CO of Brand Mgmt and Engagement

Susan Langman | Creative Design Coordinator

Joclyn Bushman | Multimedia Specialist

Jeff Hutton | Senior Writer

Kriss Nelson | Staff Writer

Joseph Hopper | Communications Specialist

Brock Johnston | Public Relations Manager

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

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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.

April 2024 | Vol. 37, No. 7

4 Sea of Soybeans

A recent trip revealed how a South American soy powerhouse maintains its lead in production.

15 Soy Snaps

Views of Iowa life through ISA Multimedia Specialist Joclyn Bushman’s lenses.

18

A New Frontier for Biofuels

How the transportation sector could reshape demand for biomass-based diesel fuels.

22

Seeding Rate Trial Results

Thinking about planting? See the results of Iowa Soybean Association’s (ISA) 2023 seeding rate trial.

On the cover:

Soybean oil is an important component to AgCertain’s operations throughout Iowa, says Dan Oh, president and CEO of AgCertain. See ‘Certain’ About Soy on page 12 for more information on this Iowa-based company.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a soybean checkoff request for referendum (RFR).

Eligible U.S. soybean farmers may request a referendum beginning May 6, 2024, and ending May 31, 2024, in county Farm Service Agency offices.

To be eligible to participate in the Request for Referendum, producers must certify that they or the producer entity they are authorized to represent paid an assessment at any time between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023.

The RFR occurs every five years, and the official notice is available online in the Federal Register (federalregister.gov).

Sea of Soybeans

EExecutive Insights

Kirk Leeds, ISA Chief Executive Officer kleeds@iasoybeans.com

arlier this year, I again had the opportunity to join several ISA directors on a visit to Brazil. The purpose of our time in the South American country was to see firsthand its continued expansion of soybeans, making it the world’s largest producer. On this trip, we traveled to Matopiba, a region in north and northeast Brazil considered the “new frontier” in soybean production. It represents around 12% of Brazilian soybean production, with rapid expansion expected.

As we were visiting a farm of several thousand acres that had only been in soybean production for a few years, our Brazilian farmer host mentioned that everywhere you looked you saw a “sea of soybeans.” He was absolutely right. As I got back in the van to travel to another stop on our tour, I kept thinking about this sea of soybeans (and increasingly corn, too) and the implications for soybean production in Iowa and across the U.S.

While visiting another farm, we stood in a field that five years previously had been pasture (cerrado) filled with small trees, large bushes and thick grass and weeds. It took the farmer two years to clear the land and dump industrial amounts of lime on the soil to reduce acidity levels so they could plant soybeans in the third year. Within two years, the field was producing 72 bushels-per-acre soybeans.

Last year, Brazil used 124 million acres of land for grain production while planting on 189 million acres. So how do you plant 189 million acres on 124 million acres? The 65-million-acre difference is a result of double cropping and increasingly from triple cropping. Unlike Iowa and large portions of the U.S. most Brazil farmers

plant soybeans followed by corn. In some cases, cover crops are “harvested” by livestock grazing after the harvest of soybeans and corn (or other crops). We visited farms where the farmer decided to make corn his first planted crop, followed by soybeans, and they harvested more than 250 bushels of corn per acre. He’s proving that, yes, you can produce large crops of corn and soybeans in the tropics.

Brazil has several advantages relative to the U.S. Among them, large amounts of available land, particularly in the “new frontier” areas of Brazil. They have favorable climate in large portions of the country. Yields are increasing and with the investments in research being made by the Brazilian government and the private sector (U.S. and local companies), yields will continue to improve. The potential to harvest three crops per year is a game changer. When you combine this with the rapid adoption of technology by younger farmers, Brazilian farmers will remain formidable competitors.

The U.S. also has advantages. Although Brazil continues to see significant investments in roads, rail and barge infrastructure (much of which seems to be by foreign investors), they still have a long way to go. There are reasons to question whether they will ever catch up with the capacity of the U.S. to transport harvested crops. On and off farm storage of soybeans in Brazil is a challenge due to lack of investments and the reality of trying to store corn and soybeans in the tropics. U.S. farmers have better risk management tools including crop insurance (thus why protecting crop insurance is our top priority in the farm bill). We face less direct currency risk from the dollar fluctuation and lower interest rates.

On the sustainability front, the U.S. has a much better story to share with our customers and the general public. And even though they seem to have a large pool of farm workers, the U.S. still has a significant advantage in the skills of our workforce.

Perhaps an advantage that I think is not fully appreciated is the one below our feet. There are real risks to having farmland in constant production, particularly in an area with very low soil fertility and high acidity as in Brazil. As much as we often wish we could skip winter here in the Midwest, cold winters not only give the soil a chance to rest but they also help us manage diseases, pests and weeds. It was not uncommon to hear Brazilian farmers talk about needing to spray fungicides and insecticides 6-8 times. And even though we were told that weed control is not really an issue, as we were reminded in

the Jurassic Park movies, “life finds a way.” It’s difficult for me to believe that these pressures will not continue to increase in the years to come. Life, including weeds, diseases and insects, always finds a way.

There’s indeed a sea of soybeans in Brazil. But all is not lost. At least in the productive black soils of the Midwest. Combined with the skills of our farmers and their ability to adopt new technologies and new practices, I’m confident we can compete with farmers in Brazil and anywhere else in the world. As ISA celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2024, we know there is still work to do but we remain driven to deliver results for the farmers we serve.

ISA CEO Kirk Leeds joined ISA directors in visiting Brazil to learn how the soy powerhouse continues to make strides in soybean production. A visit to the Panama Canal provided insight on soy transportation and logistics.

You’re where the rubber meets the road. And the engine. And the interior.

All soybean farmers, including you, are busy replacing petroleum with your soy oil. 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 unitedsoybean.org/hopper

Moving Soy Forward.

Moving You Forward.

Rural Route 2

Editor’s Note by Bethany Baratta bbaratta@iasoybeans.com

Farming in Heaven

When I learned that Bill Northey passed away unexpectedly in early February, I was on my way to North Carolina to meet with other soybean industry stakeholders, collaborating on how we can use our strengths and talents to lift each group’s messages for the betterment of the industry. The next day, I learned that former Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) President Wayne Fredericks had passed after a lengthy and courageous battle with cancer.

I learned a great deal from these two men who were well respected in the agricultural community.

Working as an ag writer for another publication during his tenure as Iowa’s ag secretary, Secretary Northey was patient and responsive as I called seeking comments and updates on the impact of avian influenza on the state’s flocks. Despite it being a tough time for farmers, Northey always had the confidence in Iowa’s farmers and that brighter days were yet to come. After serving as the Under Secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Northey was serving as the CEO of the Agribusiness Association of Iowa at the time of his passing. I often saw Northey at events in Iowa, most recently at an event in Des Moines. Northey was so proud to be a fourthgeneration farmer in Iowa.

When I started as a senior writer for the Iowa Soybean Association five years

ago, I accompanied Iowa soybean farmers on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. to talk about farmer priorities in the offices of our elected leaders. There, Wayne Fredericks’ confidence shined. He could strike up a conversation about taxes and lead to a discussion about monarch butterflies and his passion for conservation. Joining Wayne in the D.C. offices was like being in a master’s class in professional ag advocacy. In November 2023, I had the honor of visiting Wayne and his wife Ruth in their home in Osage. I joined a few others in presenting him with his ISA Legacy of Leadership Award. He shared lessons on leadership and what it means to ‘show up’ and not just appear in Washington, D.C. No conversation with Wayne was complete without talking about his conservation efforts. I crafted a story for the February Iowa Soybean Review, not knowing it would be our last visit.

Their farms were undoubtedly their pieces of heaven on earth — Northey’s near Spirit Lake and Fredericks’ near Osage. I wonder what their fields are like in heaven. Do they appear like the ones they were so proud to tend here on Earth? Will Bill and Wayne be planting soon, or can they plant year-round given the perfect conditions? Regardless, I wish I could revel in their wisdom as another planting season begins. We all do.

POWER AND POTENTIAL

Soyfoods are a staple overseas and preference is growing in the U.S.

BY JEFF HUTTON

Soyfoods are featured prominently on dinner plates around the globe. Heart healthy and economical, soybeans are an important protein option for consumers.

And while we recognize April as National Soyfoods Month, Americans are only recently grasping onto the importance of soybeans in their diets.

“When it comes down to the fact that plant-based foods are so prominent these days and that people

are talking about them, soy should be a part of that discussion,” says Linda Funk, executive director of the U.S. Soyfoods Council.

“Truly, I say if people are going to choose a plantbased diet, they should include soy protein because of all of the health benefits,” she says. “Consumers in general really want to eat a little healthier and they’re looking at how to add plant-based food to their diets.”

Edamame adds protein to a salad.

Photo credit: FomaA/stock.adobe.com

WORLD IMPACT

Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) District 9 Director Tom Adam says soy’s versatility is impressive. He acknowledges the production and consumption of soyfoods in the United States doesn’t get the attention it could receive compared to overseas.

“In totality, soyfoods are held in a much higher regard in foreign markets than domestically,” he says.

For example, Adam says in Indonesia and other parts of the world, soy is the basis of consumers’ diets. And aquaculture relies heavily on soy.

Adam says soyfoods are considered an economical food source around the globe. So economical, soyfoods are consumed directly and that has proven a wonderful way to introduce soyfood into their diets.

He points out that soyfoods are distributed worldwide through efforts like the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH), a program founded more than 20 years ago through the American Soybean Association (ASA) and overseen by U.S. soybean producers.

WISSH, Adam says, connects trade and development across global market systems, improving food security.

Continued on Pg. 10

OPTIONS APLENTY

There are plenty of soy options to fit any palate preference, Funk says.

“When you start looking at products, there are a lot of products that already have soy in them,” Funk says.

She points to products like tofu, soy beverages, shelled edamame, Kashi cereals, select pancake mixes as well as soy oil and powder featured in various food items.

“Soy can be a part of a healthy diet and you can still eat meat,” Funk says.

So how does it fit in to everyday diets? There are easy additions, she says.

She points to edamame as an example.

“I always say if you are going to start eating soy, pair it with something familiar like sweet corn,” Funk says. “Adding edamame with sweet corn won’t be so scary.”

Take that edamame and corn mix, or an edamame salad, and serve that as a side dish to your established proteins of beef, pork or chicken. Keep in mind, soybeans are often a feed staple for cattle, pigs and chicken — more evidence of the power of soy.

“SOYFOODS ARE HELD IN A MUCH HIGHER REGARD IN FOREIGN MARKETS THAN DOMESTICALLY.”

Tom Adam, ISA board member

Soy can be found in a variety of foods and beverages.

According to the ASA, continued investments in the farm bill’s international food assistance program allows U.S. soy to continue to be used through products such as corn-soy blend, texturized soy protein and canned vegetable oil. These soy products have served as staples for emergency response in at least 88 countries around the world.

Adam says consumers there are surprised to find out that Iowa farmers and other American do not consume soybeans like their global counterparts.

He says he is still amazed, after traveling to various places like Indonesia, how soy has translated to products that taste like meat and novelty items like soy ice cream.

Funk agrees. She says soyfoods have the enormous potential to be of high value for U.S. producers, especially as American consumers desire more plant-based options in their diets, like their counterparts in Asia and elsewhere.

“I know that farmers do get a premium for it, but it has to fit into their marketing plan,” she says. “I’m optimistic. I think it’s a terrific opportunity for farmers to grow more food-grade soybeans.”

Funk says the versatility of soybeans should not be lost on producers, especially when soy can feed animals and can be consumed directly by humans through soyfoods.

“Farmers can play in both arenas,” she says.

SOY EVERY DAY

Funk says soyfoods like tempeh, a meat-like product made with fermented soybeans, is huge in Asia.

“Their markets are flourishing with soy protein,” she says.

With the advent of more plant-based diet requests, more Americans are asking how they can use soy in everyday meals.

“I only use soybean oil,” Funk says. “It's the only oil I have in my pantry, and it works beautifully for everything. I would challenge every farmer and every consumer to have soy every day in their diets.”

And while soyfoods can complement any meal like an edamame salad or be transformed into a plant-based meat-like product, Funk says the health benefits must also be touted.

“I think as we continue to do more health research, it will continue to impact people to look at soy protein and understand why it should be the preferred plant protein,” she says. “It has such a great nutrition profile, and we have such a great story to tell. We just need to engage and connect with consumers.”

Contact Jeff Hutton at jhutton@iasoybeans.com

INTRODUCING SOY INTO YOUR DIET

Linda Funk, U.S. Soyfoods Council executive director, offers these ideas as a way to incorporate soyfoods into your meal planning.

OATMEAL:

Combine 1/4 cup oatmeal with 1/4 cup textured vegetable protein. Add about 1 cup soymilk. Microwave for 1 minute and 20 seconds. Serve with berries and a drizzle of maple syrup.

CHILI:

Make your favorite chili or buy a can of chili without beans and add 1 cup of black soybeans.

SALAD:

Add shelled edamame to any green salad.

VEGETABLE:

Combine sweet corn and shelled edamame, cook and serve.

DESSERT:

Blend 1 carton of firm silken tofu with 1 jar of lemon curd. Serve with berries.

TOAST:

Spread soynut butter on toast, add a drizzle of honey and/or serve with sliced bananas.

LEAD THE FIELD.

BELT IT OUT.

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A NEW WAY TO BUY FROM LANDUS

The Landus Portal has a new feature that allows you to purchase your spring inputs 100% online through the GROWERS App. All conveniently linked with your Landus account, farmers can customize their products, sizes, and method of shipment all from the convenience of a smartphone or desktop computer.

Try out GROWERS automatically linked to your Landus account in the Landus portal at landus.ag.

Boone refinery utilizes soy to create ingredients found in thousands of products

BY KRISS NELSON

It could be oil used to make potato chips, glycerin in toothpaste, or an ingredient in your favorite protein bar. There is a possibility those ingredients are not only derived from soybean oil but were produced at a state-of-the-art processing facility right in central Iowa.

AgCertain, a food, agricultural and bio-based product development, manufacturing and marketing company, has been producing a variety of refined products, including kosher-certified U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) grade glycerin from vegetable-based feedstocks, including soybeans, and a wide variety of specialty food grade oils since 2019.

Because of the high demand of products like USPgrade glycerin, AgCertain has become the third-largest producer of the product in the United States.

Daniel Oh, AgCertain’s founder, president, and CEO, says the idea for the company evolved out of the concept of traceability and identity preservation.

“AgCertain operates as a highly certified, traceabilityfocused supplier,” says Oh. “People care more than ever

about where their products come from, and AgCertain is committed to providing higher value, smaller volume, specialized refining and custom formulations with traceability, quality assurance and certainty.”

Meeting demand

At its plant near Boone, AgCertain has three refineries that purify vegetable oils and one refinery for glycerin. In addition to their refinery in Boone, AgCertain has a home office in Ames and recently acquired Newton-based Maytag Dairy Farms, the manufacturer and marketer of Maytag Blue Cheese.

Nearly 95% of glycerin processed at AgCertain is derived from soybean oil.

The glycerin is purified into USP-grade glycerin after it arrives at AgCertain as a crude product — often as a biodiesel co-product.

“Roughly one pound of crude glycerin comes from one gallon of biodiesel. In many cases, that crude glycerin comes to Boone to be purified,” says Oh.

AgCertain's Boone facility is comprised of three refineries designated toward refining vegetable oil and one for the refining of crude glycerin. Ninety-five percent of the glycerin processed at the plant is derived from soybean oil.

Totes of vegetable oil await processing at AgCertain in Boone.

Additional rail capacity will expand the opportunity to receive and send edible oils and glycerin.

Additional storage is included in the announced expansions at AgCertain in Boone.

AgCertain was designed to process a large variety of oils, including soybean oil, walnut oil, watermelon seed oil and corn oil.

To ensure the products manufactured by AgCertain are certified kosher, the facility only accepts crude glycerin from vegetable-oil-based biodiesel facilities, like those connected to soybean crush plants. In contrast, glycerin from multifeedstock biodiesel plants, including those that process animal fats, is not considered kosher.

Iowa is the country’s largest biodiesel producer, boasting over 400 million gallons of production capacity, with more than half produced from soy oil. This amounts to approximately 10% of the United States’ bio-based diesel consumption.

Iowa soybean processors use more than 267 million bushels of soybeans — equal to nearly half of the state’s crop — per year to make soybased biodiesel.

“AgCertain is on the leading edge of positioning the Iowa soybean industry to capitalize on its worldleading nutritional and environmental attributes,” says Iowa Soybean Association Chief Officer of Demand and Advocacy Matt Herman.

Quality versus quantity

AgCertain focuses on specialty products processed at a lower volume but higher value that larger oil processors cannot accommodate.

“Our robust refinery system allows us to go in many value-added directions,” says Oh.

This could be beneficial to Iowa soybean farmers.

“We are providing an additional way to produce their high-value products when selling to a highly

GLYCERIN USES

traceable production system, for example,” says Oh. “We can process specialty products we believe will ultimately help producers make more money and sell products people will pay a premium for.”

In organic production, for example, producers can get their soybean meal to market, but if they cannot find a specialty market for their organic soybean oil, they lose value.

“Once you have decided to raise a crop using a highly certified, traceable route, you want a better price,” says Oh. “With AgCertain in Iowa, farmers are more likely to get credit for the entire bushel.”

Location, location, location

AgCertain wasn’t started in Boone by accident.

“We are intentionally located in central Iowa. It allows us good logistical access to our end markets,” says Oh. “We are located on the Union Pacific Railroad, close to Interstates 35 and 80, and Iowa State University. As part of the Cultivation Corridor, we have access to many talented people who want to be involved in agriculture.”

Future-focused

AgCertain is working to meet the needs of current and emerging products with a large-scale expansion in excess of 160 acres.

This expansion allows for additional storage, more logistics capability via an additional rail line, and increased efficiency through the co-location of an onsite tank farm. The expansion will also increase processing capabilities.

Contact Kriss Nelson at knelson@iasoybeans.com

USP-grade glycerin can be found in thousands of products and uses. Often made from soybeans, USP-grade glycerin is used as a thickener, sweetener and emulsifier.

Personal care products such as face wash, lotions and cosmetics benefit from using USP-grade glycerin because it is hydrating.

In food, it works as an emulsifier, keeping ingredients together in products such as food bars and fruit snacks.

OTHER PRODUCTS GLYCERIN IS FOUND

IN:

• septic tank additives

• printer ink cartridges

• laundry detergent

• shaving cream

• cleaning wipes

• air freshener

• moisturizer

• shampoo

• dishwasher detergent

• toilet cleaning gel

• insect repellent

• toothpaste

• candles

• makeup

• hair color

The developing and emerging nations of today are the home of tomorrow’s U.S. Soy customers

SOY SNAPS

Sam Showalter prepares his planter for the upcoming spring days in the fields close to Hampton.

Joe Shirbourn enjoys a break on his farm just outside of Farmersburg.

Spending afternoons with Joan Maxwell involves quality time with her Jersey heifers at Cinnamon Ridge Farms.

SNAPS

A cozy barn with a splash of color nestled in the hills close to Mount Vernon

Brent Swart inspects cover crops on his farm near Spencer.

Josh Kuennen and his son, Wyatt, pause to watch their cattle herd.

Transportation sector could reshape future demand for biomass-based diesel fuels

BY BROCK JOHNSTON

Changing market trends are continuing to elevate biodiesel and renewable diesel as immediate, cleaner-burning fuel solutions for rail and marine transportation. As fleets seek to decarbonize to meet the needs of their customers, U.S. soybean farmers could be poised to play a larger, more profitable role — producing the feedstock needed to meet future fuel demand.

“Farmers know that their business depends on exports, and those exports depend on robust and reliable transportation,” says Matt Herman, chief officer of demand and advocacy for the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA). “The world is trying to decarbonize, including the companies who logistically help farmers access the global market.”

Petroleum products have accounted for about 90% of the total energy used annually for U.S. transportation. This includes common modes of transport like freight rail, boats and ships, aircraft, light- and heavy-duty trucks and more. Biodiesel, renewable diesel and other biofuels accounted for about 6% of total U.S. transportation sector energy consumption in 2022.

But in recent years, companies have committed more than $6 billion in increased soybean crush capacity through new or expanded facilities, largely due to demand for biodiesel and renewable diesel. This is especially evident in Iowa, which has seen crush growth of its own and leads the nation in both soy processing and biodiesel production.

Iowa’s soybean farmers are continuing efforts to grow biofuel markets through their support of Clean Fuels Alliance America (Clean Fuels), formerly the National Biodiesel Board. The organization, funded in part by the soybean checkoff, has identified the rail and maritime industries as emerging markets primed for clean fuel consumption.

Rail reimagined

According to Clean Fuels, the railroad industry serves as the market with the most immediate potential for increased consumption of higher blends.

Class I railroads, or rail carriers designated by the Surface Transportation Board earning more than $250 million in annual revenue, consumed nearly 3.2 billion gallons of diesel in 2022. It’s estimated that only a small percentage of total gallons contained a biodiesel and/or renewable diesel blend.

Most leading railroads and equipment manufacturers support using blends of 5% biodiesel (B5) to 20% biodiesel (B20). Companies have also expressed support for renewable diesel at varying blend preferences, ranging from 30% renewable diesel (R30) to 100% renewable diesel (R100).

Scott Fenwick, technical director at Clean Fuels, says that while the rail industry has historically been hesitant to incorporate higher biodiesel blends, education and outreach efforts are helping to carve a path forward.

“We’re continuing to work directly with locomotive manufacturers and railroads to help increase their confidence and comfortability with higher blends and the current specifications,” Fenwick says.

Much of this work involves highlighting biodiesel’s high-performance benefits, including a higher cetane rating, improved lubricity and emissions reductions. Consistent reporting and data have also shown that today’s biodiesel meets tighter quality specifications, showing that fuel quality well exceeds the minimum ASTM testing requirements.

“When you look at the multi-million-dollar price tag of a single locomotive, you can see why companies want to be running premium fuel that’s efficient and cost-effective,” says Fenwick. “Our work is showing that clean fuels are quality and compatible with their needs.”

Tankers like this one may someday be fueled by biomass-based diesel.

“ Farmers know that their business depends on exports, and those exports depend on robust and reliable transportation.”

Matt Herman, chief officer of demand and advocacy for ISA

Many North American-based rail companies have publicly signaled that biofuels will play a major role in their plans to lower carbon emissions. Two separate Class I railroads have also announced that 50% of their intended carbon reductions will come from biofuels by 2030.

BNSF — the largest U.S. freight railroad — began testing a 20% biodiesel and 80% renewable diesel (B20/R80) blend in 2022. By working with locomotive manufacturers, the company is aiming to increase the amount of biodiesel and renewable diesel fuels used to operate their fleet of locomotives.

Some passenger rail, including the Bay Area Regional Transit which traverses much of Northern California from the Bay Area to Sacramento, have already fully converted to running R100 in their diesel train fleet.

Clean Fuels estimates around 100 million gallons of biomass-based diesel, including biodiesel and renewable diesel, was consumed within the rail industry in 2023. The group also expects to see increased volumes moving forward as additional crush facilities come online.

“Our progress in the rail market wouldn’t be possible without soybean farmers,” says Fenwick. “They allow us (Clean Fuels) to do the technical, education and market development work needed to enter these fuel markets and grow.”

A strong U.S. biodiesel market helps farmers weather difficult economic times. By increasing soybean oil value, biodiesel supported 13% of the price per bushel of soybeans — or $1.78 per bushel in 2022.

What about marine?

The marine market offers a vast and exciting opportunity for soybean farmers and biodiesel producers. Specifically, for maritime diesel consumers including tugboats, ferry and pilotage vessels, and more that support port operations and inland waterway transportation.

Worldwide, annual marine fuel consumption is about 124 billion gallons.

When used for marine applications, biodiesel blends have historically ranged from B5 to B10.

“Companies like ADM and others are using biodiesel on the inland waterways for barge traffic up and down the Mississippi River, or for small Hornblower Cruises for tourists, at lower blends,” says Herman.

But according to Clean Fuels, interest and demand are building from port operators in major coastal shipping regions like the Northeast. The push comes as customers, investors and policy decisions are pressuring the market to also decarbonize.

“For larger scale operations like marine, electrification is just not an immediate solution or realistic option to meet their end goal,” says Herman.

In New York City, biodiesel blends already play a role in heating homes and powering the city’s equipment fleet to reduce emissions. But it’s the Port of New York and New Jersey that has yet to access the full potential of biomass-based fuels.

An estimated 400 million gallons of diesel fuel are consumed by the port each year. The hub is also the largest active port within the U.S. by cargo volume, moving more than 10 million, 20-foot equivalent unit containers in 2022. That’s equivalent to approximately 9.73 billion soybean bushels in annual volume.

It’s an emerging market that Randy Miller, past ISA president and soybean farmer from Lacona, saw firsthand during a recent biofuels tour in New York City with Clean Fuels.

“I think there’s a lot for farmers to gain if this market took off,” Miller says. “We’ve been able to produce more (soybeans) to meet demand, but the marketplace will decide if we grow soybeans for marine.”

By promoting the capability of existing fuel infrastructure and continuing to educate and work with port operators in specific segments of the marine industry, Clean Fuels says the market could bring new opportunities to renewable fuel producers and soybean farmers.

“Trade and transportation aren’t going away anytime soon,” Miller says. “So it’s in everyone’s interest that soybean farmers and biodiesel producers can capture some of that value.”

Contact Brock Johnston at bjohnston@iasoybeans.com.

2023 Soybean Seeding Rate Trial Results

Alex Schaffer

ISA Research Agronomist

aschaffer@iasoybeans.com

What factors do you consider on your farm when determining the optimum soybean seeding rate for a field? Do you consider how changing genetics and weather patterns may influence this decision? How about soil type, tillage type, residue amount and pest pressure?

Likely, the most important thing to consider is how soybean seeding rate fits in with the rest of your management tactics. In 2023, the Iowa Soybean Association’s (ISA) Research Center for Farming Innovation (RCFI) set up a trial to answer these questions. Perhaps most importantly, we want to know how farmers can maximize return on investment in their seed purchase.

We asked farmers across the state to participate in a seeding rate trial at four different rates. For most locations, an ISA research agronomist created a seeding rate prescription and loaded the prescription into the cooperator’s planting software. In 2023, we completed 22 trials across the state (Figure 1).

The prescribed four seeding rates were replicated four times across the field. These seeding rates were 80,000, 110,000, 140,000 and 170,000 seeds per acre planted in strips randomly ordered throughout the trial. This proved especially important this year because of some sporadic rainfall and varying soil water holding capacity. Field average yields ranged from 40 to 78 bushels per acre, with total rainfall from April to August ranging from 9 to 21 inches. The randomization of the trials becomes more critical when an environmental factor may influence results, as precipitation and water holding capacity did in 2023.

Soybeans have an amazing ability to compensate for lower stand counts. In the 2023 project, yield was relatively unaffected by planting population. This is because of soybean’s ability to branch under low population densities, thus creating more pods and seeds per plant.

We saw an average yield of 56.8, 58.2, 58.9, and 59.3 bushels per acre for our treatments of 80,000, 110,000,

Figure 1: Locations of the 22 seeding rate trials conducted in 2023. We have additional trials to be processed as we receive the data and add to this dataset.

140,000, and 170,000 seeds per acre, respectively. Only the lowest rate of 80,000 seeds per acre had a statistically significant lower yield than all other seeding rates.

In our trials, the treatment of 110,000 seeds per acre maximized return on investment compared to all other seeding rates, considering a sale price of $12.89 per bushel of soybeans and seed costs of $52 per 140,000 seeds. For 170,000 seeds per acre to be the most profitable, the sale price of soybeans would have to be greater than $22 per bushel. Put another way, seed prices would have to exceed $84 per unit to make economic sense to drop the seeding rate to 80,000 seeds per acre (Figure 2).

Consider management tactics when choosing a seeding rate. Ultimately, the final plant stand is important to drive yield. Management decisions in the field that support or protect the planted seeds are critical to consider in maximizing your seed investment.

Situations where you may consider increasing your seeding rate include early planting, no-till or cover crop

fields with heavy residue, history of seedling diseases or lower productivity soils that do not support branching.

Where do we go from here? Our research agronomists are actively recruiting farmers to join us this year to build upon the great work in 2023. Our goal is to collect enough data to help farmers make an informed decision when deciding on seeding rates on their acres.

We want to compile a large data set to make inferences based on diverse production environments and management tactics. We encourage you to experiment on your farm; ISA can support you throughout the process. Farming is such a complex web of management and environmental interactions it becomes challenging to make broad statements that apply to every acre. Therefore, doing an on-farm trial on your acres with your equipment is the best way to see what fits, and the ISA RCFI team of research agronomists is here to help. Want to be part of this trial? Please call (515) 251-8640 or email aschaffer@iasoybeans.com.

HAVE A TRIAL OR A PROJECT YOU’RE INTERESTED IN?

We can potentially explore it as a topic in a future issue. Better yet, we’ll connect you with your local expert so you can implement a trial on your farm.

Figure 2: An economic look at how seeding rate changes affect economic outcomes based on our trial results. Of the four treatments, we found that 110,000 seeds per acre maximized return on investment.

Policy Champion

JEFF JORGENSON

BY JEFF HUTTON

Jeff Jorgenson’s work in agriculture and how he has helped to shape policies that have and will positively impact the future of soybean farming is without parallel.

That’s why he was named the 2024 recipient of the Iowa Soybean Association’s (ISA) Policy Champion Award.

An agent of change

Jorgenson, who farms in Fremont County, has been lauded for his work that goes well beyond the rolling farm fields of southwest Iowa.

Former ISA President Robb Ewoldt says Jorgenson has been effective and purposeful in his desire to advance soybean farmers’ fortunes.

“Jeff has been on top of ag policy and was always able to articulate to

politicians the effects those policies would have on farmers,” he says.

“With Jeff, I always knew that the farmer’s voice was being heard, whether it was in Des Moines or Washington, D.C.”

In his nomination for the award, which was presented by Champion Seed, former ISA Senior Director of Public Affairs Michael Dolch praised Jorgenson for his “unwavering dedication to Iowa agriculture and the soybean industry, coupled with his impeccable character and leadership.”

Grasping what goes into the policies that impact soybean producers across Iowa and the United States has not been easy, Jorgenson says. Understanding the complexities behind a proposed rule is challenging.

“I really started to learn about policy early on,” he says. “You don’t want to make it hard; you want to make it black and white.”

As a former ISA president and former board member of the American Soybean Association (ASA), Jorgenson says gathering insight and perspective from other producers, industry leaders and more is key.

By working together and bouncing ideas and dialogue back-and-forth, novel ideas and initiatives can be presented to legislators. Passion from farmers showcases to politicians the importance of crafting policies that benefit those in the fields, he says.

“It’s time consuming,” Jorgenson says. “But it’s the long game. It’s an honor to be thought of as someone who makes a difference.”

Jeff Jorgenson spoke in support of the Iowa Biofuel Standard legislation in 2021. (ISA File Photo)

WITH JEFF, I ALWAYS KNEW THAT THE FARMER’S VOICE WAS BEING HEARD, WHETHER IT WAS IN DES MOINES OR WASHINGTON, D.C.

Robb Ewoldt, former ISA president

It doesn’t happen overnight

Jorgenson understands that making a difference is not an overnight proposition.

“It’s not what I do today or what I did yesterday, but what you’ve done 4-5 years down the road that makes a difference,” Jorgenson says.

His commitment to the betterment of agriculture is reflected in every facet of his life, according to his nomination.

In 2022, Jorgenson was recognized with the Iowa Master Farmer award, a testament to his high character and values that set him apart from his peers.

His contributions, including his stint as ISA president, demonstrate his dedication to advancing the interests of soybean farmers in the state.

As an ASA board director, Jorgenson advocated for the industry at the national level. He has played an instrumental role in forming the Midwest Soybean Collaborative — a policy and regulatory think tank, analyzing the future challenges that soybean farmers will face and in crafting strategic solutions to address them.

“Having the privilege to advocate alongside Jeff in both Des Moines and Washington, D.C., I can attest to his ability to identify and understand complex legislative and regulatory issues,” Dolch says. “He possesses the rare talent of distilling these complexities into common sense solutions that benefit not only soybean farmers but also the broader agricultural community.”

Jorgenson’s focus on policies has included a number of topics such as biofuels and the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy. Both areas have been challenging.

“The reality of policy is that it’s a long-term situation,” he says. “The toughest, hardest thing is that it’s not instantaneous. These things can take years. It’s always a work in progress and a lot of people have to play their part if things are to come to fruition.”

Jorgenson says not seeing results right away when it comes to policy matters is frustrating because it’s anathema to how farmers usually operate.

“As far as farming goes, we have to make marketing, planting and harvesting decisions quickly sometimes,” he says. “Policy (progress) doesn’t always fit very well as a farmer.”

Dolch cited Jorgenson's influence on the “development of forward-thinking policy resolutions. These resolutions will serve as ISA’s policy advocacy roadmap for generations to come, ensuring the productivity and profitability of Iowa soybean farmers.”

‘Finding your niche’

For Jorgenson, the time and devotion to the soybean industry is evident every day. Whether he’s surveying the soybean fields around him or in the halls of Congress or the Iowa Statehouse, Jorgenson is at the top of his game.

“You have to find your niche,” he says. “You have to find your spot.”

Contact

Jeff Hutton at jhutton@iasoybeans.com

Jorgenson is a knowledgeable spokesman on policy issues related to farming.

ISA President Suzanne Shirbroun presented Jorgenson with the award in December.

S I ngh Jo I n S

Iowa Soybean r e S ear C h Center

at Iowa State Un I ver SI ty a S Co-d I re C tor

By Kara Berg, Iowa Soybean Research Center

asheesh “Danny” Singh, professor of agronomy with expertise in soybean breeding and phenomics at Iowa State University, has joined the Iowa Soybean Research Center (ISRC) as a co-director. He holds a courtesy appointment in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering.

“Danny is the perfect person to join me in leading the ISRC,” says founding director Greg Tylka, Ph.D.. “I look forward to working shoulder to shoulder with him to advance the center to greater heights and in new dimensions.”

Singh’s addition highlights the long-term commitment on the part of Iowa State University in its support of soybean research. With the addition of Singh, and in honor of the ISRC’s 10-year anniversary in July, the codirectors will work together to expand the research and educational activities of the center while maintaining a focus on soybean production research.

“Danny and Greg are a great team. They encourage research in all that they do, so it’s a very natural fit for these two to lead the ISRC into the next decade together,” says ISU Associate Dean for Research and Discovery Carolyn Lawrence-Dill.

“I embrace this new role with humility and determination,” Singh says. “I look forward to working with Dr. Tylka, the Iowa Soybean Association, and

industry partners to improve soybean production and profitability in a coordinated manner. I look forward to learning from the ISRC staff and helping foster increased collaboration among the ISRC-affiliated faculty members and their teams.”

“The Iowa Soybean Association looks forward to continuing our partnership with ISRC, building upon the successes of the past decade with Danny and Greg in

Iowa Soybean Research Center Co-director Danny Singh interacts with Iowa Soybean Association board members during a field tour in fall 2022.

Photo by Kara Berg, Iowa Soybean Research Center

THE IOWA SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION

looks forward to continuing our partnership with ISRC, building upon the successes of the past decade with Danny and Greg in this newly formed co-directorship.

Christie Wiebbecke,

Ph.D., Iowa Soybean Association chief officer of research and conservation

this newly formed co-directorship,” says Iowa Soybean Association Chief Officer of Research and Conservation Christie Wiebbecke, Ph.D., who also serves as the ISRC’s Industry Advisory Council Chair.

Singh joined Iowa State University in 2013 as a faculty member in agronomy and has been an affiliate of the ISRC since its inception in 2014. He has published more than 160 peer-reviewed papers, authored a textbook on plant breeding,

and developed more than 70 varieties grown on more than 10 million acres annually. He has delivered 75 invited presentations nationally and internationally. He has received ISRC funding on two collaborative projects, one focused on soybean root and microbiome traits, and the second on the effects of increased CO2 and abiotic stress on soybeans.

In 2023, Singh was appointed G.F. Sprague Chair by Iowa State’s Department of Agronomy and named a Crop Science Society

of America Fellow. He serves as an associate chair for Discovery and Research of the university’s Department of Agronomy and provides leadership to the Soynomics research group, which received the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Team Award. In 2021, Singh received the ISU’s Mid-Career Achievement in Research Award and the department of Agronomy’s Raymond and Mary Baker Agronomic Excellence Award.

a bo U t the Iowa Soybean r e S ear C h Center

The Iowa Soybean Research Center was established in 2014 by Iowa State University in partnership with the Iowa Soybean Association. The center was founded to increase soybean production and profitability for Iowa farmers through coordinated research efforts involving Iowa State, the Iowa Soybean Association and the private sector.

From left, Iowa Soybean Research Center Co-directors Greg Tylka and Asheesh “Danny” Singh with Iowa Soybean Association’s Christie Wiebbecke, who serves as the Iowa Soybean Research Center’s Industry Advisory Council chair.

Photo by Kara Berg, Iowa Soybean Research Center

When the Heat Is On: How Soybeans Grow

{Part 1 of 2}

BY LAURA TEMPLE, SOYBEAN RESEARCH INFORMATION NETWORK

Soybeans can adapt to stressful growing conditions. Many factors, such as temperature, moisture, light and nutrient availability, work together to influence what happens in the plant, causing it to grow in a way that manages stress.

Environmental stresses could increase, based on predictions about changing climate patterns. That raises questions about how soybeans may need to adapt in future production environments.

Conversation at a farmer meeting sparked Iowa State University research through the Iowa Soybean Research Center (ISRC) to investigate what happens in soybeans under climate stress. The ISRC matches soy checkoff investments from the Iowa Soybean Association with other funds.

ISRC funded this specific project with additional support from the United Soybean Board, USDA-National Institute

of Food and Agriculture and the National Science Foundation through the CyberPhysical Systems project.

The research team tackled the challenge of understanding how heat stress impacts soybean growth at a molecular level both above and below ground. Liza Van der Laan, a Ph.D. candidate in plant breeding at Iowa State University, focused on how heat directly impacts gene expression, or how genetics translate into plant functions, in different soybean varieties.

“What we learn can inform forwardlooking breeding,” says Van der Laan. “With detailed information about what functions in soybean genetics support heat tolerance, we can build genomic tools and identify genetic regions that can become molecular markers for breeding soybeans to better tolerate that heat.”

Her research used the Enviratron, a climate-controlled research facility at the Iowa State research farm funded by the National Science Foundation that allows manipulation of a wide range of environmental factors. Four different soybean varieties germinated and grew under optimal temperatures, 28°C or 82°F, and elevated temperatures, 38°C or 100°F.

Selected varieties included:

• a plant introduction with heat tolerance based on prior screening.

• a plant introduction showing susceptibility to heat stress based on the same screening.

• a commercial variety from Iowa State University.

• Williams 82, the variety used as the reference for genome sequencing, which served as the comparison or check for the others.

Van der Laan monitored the soybeans for 45 days, well into vegetative growth, for their phenotypes, or the observable characteristics caused by the interaction of genetics, soil and temperature.

“All the soybeans under heat stress grew faster,” she says. “Those plants reached later vegetative growth stages than those under optimal temperatures.”

Tissue samples from shoot tips provided genetic data to compare

observed differences in growth with gene expression. Though she is still analyzing gene lists and matching them to known soybean functions and markers, Van der Laan says many of the differences in each variety under heat stress make sense.

“All varieties except the one identified as heat-susceptible grew well,” she reports. “The differences in how genes performed under high heat can give breeders genetic targets to look for in developing new varieties for potentially higher average temperatures.”

Added complexity of soil microbes

Another member of the research team focused on the impact of heat on microbial communities in the soil by comparing plants grown in natural, local soil with those grown in autoclaved samples of the same soil under both temperatures. The process of autoclaving kills the microorganisms in soils.

“Soil microbes definitely impact how soybean genes get expressed as they grow,” Van der Laan says. “Both the phenotyping and genetic data show differences between natural and autoclaved soils.”

She is currently analyzing those differences in gene expression between typical soil and soil without microbes. These comparisons will build the knowledge base about the interaction of soil, the environment and soybean growth.

“The gene list of differences due to the soil microbiome under optimal and high temperatures is more complex,” she explains. “The genes with differences don’t make as much sense at a glance, so as we dig into this data, I expect that we will learn much more about how soil health influences soybean growth at the molecular level.”

This basic research will develop the collective understanding of how soybeans grow when it is very hot for much of the growing season. Farmers across the U.S. have experienced such conditions more frequently in recent years.

For more information, go to soybeanresearchinfo.com.

Checkoff funded research is helping breeders understand how heat impacts gene expression.

Microbial Soil Health When the Heat is On:

{Part 2 of 2}

BY LAURA TEMPLE, SOYBEAN RESEARCH INFORMATION NETWORK

As researchers explore the complexity of soil microbiology, questions arise about the role of soil health in helping crops like soybeans manage environmental stress. For example, if heat stress increases as predicted based on changing climate patterns, what role do native soil microbes play in soybean adaptation to that stress?

Based on conversations and questions raised at a farmer meeting, a team of Iowa State University researchers developed a study through the Iowa Soybean Research Center to explore the impact of high temperatures on soybean growth. ISRC projects match checkoff investments from the Iowa Soybean Association with additional industry funds. ISRC funded this project with additional support from the United Soybean Board, USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the National Science Foundation through the CyberPhysical Systems project.

The research team explored how heat stress impacts soybean growth and development at a molecular level — both

directly, above ground, and indirectly, below ground. Dinakaran Elango, a research scientist in agronomy at Iowa State University, focused on how heat affects the soil microbiome, which in turn influences soybean growth.

“We are learning how the soil microbiome helps soybeans manage environmental stress,” he says. “This basic research will grow our understanding of soil health and how agronomic practices that improve soil health also improve stress tolerance.”

To discover how heat impacts the soil microbiome, the team planted soybeans in natural soils collected from central Iowa, which are from the clarion soil series with clay loam soil texture, as well as in autoclaved batches of that soil. Autoclaving kills most of the microbes in the soil. The plants germinated and grew in the Enviratron, a climate-controlled research facility at the Iowa State research farm funded by the National Science Foundation that allows manipulation of a wide range of environmental factors. For 45 days,

soybeans in both soil types grew under optimal temperatures, 28°C or 82°F, and elevated temperatures, 38°C or 100°F.

Elango and the team surfacesterilized the soybean seeds prior to planting to remove seed microbes. They also minimized exposure to outside factors to accurately monitor the sensitivity of the soil microbiome to heat. At the end of the growing period, he examined differences in soil microbial communities between each soil type and temperature. To do this, he extracted soil DNA to understand what types of bacteria and fungi lived there. He also performed metabolite profiling to understand what these microbes do.

Findings direct next research steps

“We found about 300 different metabolites in the natural soil under both temperatures,” Elango reports.

The team identified potential candidate metabolites and microbes specific to high temperatures. He observed shifts in types of rhizobia, which help soybean roots fix

Researchers observed soybean growth and soil health.

Photo: Iowa State University

The research team observed a higher number of nodules on roots of the soybeans grown in optimal temperatures.

Photo: Iowa State University

Students and staff process the soil samples for observation of soybean growth and microbial soil health under high temperatures.

Photo: Iowa State University

nitrogen. For example, he found more bradyrhizobium in the soils kept at the optimal temperature with native microbes.

“From these types of observations, we plan to explore the functions of specific types of microorganisms and how they help soybeans grow,” Elango says. “Objectives of this research include developing an understanding of key metabolites and root anatomical traits in soybean to manage heat stress.”

He also collected soybean root tissue, to see if the heat and shifts in microbial communities altered how they grow.

“The radius of root pith expands under high temperatures,” he explains. This part of the root stores and transports nutrients to the rest of the plant. “We don’t yet know why that happens, but as we understand what changes in the plant under specific conditions, we can identify practices to support growth and yield.”

However, nodulation efficiency, which includes the number, size and leghemoglobin content of nodules, decreased under the higher temperatures.

Elango notes that this basic research can potentially be leveraged for more indepth applied research.

“We plan to do a large field-level trial to better understand how crop rotation and management practices like tillage type and cover crops impact soil microbial health under environmental stress like heat, drought and flooding,” he says.

The team submitted a USDA-NIFA grant proposal to expand this work by collaborating with Iowa farmers.

“Identifying links between soil microbial health and agronomic practices under environmental stress will help us understand how to build and maintain resilient soils,” he says. “And, this type of research will help translate the value of different soil types and soil health properties for crops like soybeans growing under stressful conditions.”

Learn more at soybeanresearchinfo.com

“Identifying links between soil microbial health and agronomic practices under environmental stress will help us understand how to build and maintain resilient soils.”

Dinakaran Elango, Iowa State University research scientist in agronomy

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