The U.S. Soybean Export Council invests in innovative tools enabling customers to make research-based data-driven decisions in their choices of soybeans and soybean products. This is the second story in a four-part series on the soy-specific tools and technologies for international customers of U.S. Soy.
Time is money. And when purchasing food beans and other specialty soy, both are of utmost importance. Historically, buyers of U.S. Soy food beans have researched varieties by reaching out to each supplier individually. This time intensive process of comparison and evaluation was primarily based on price, rather than bean characteristics and quality attributes.
Enter the Specialty U.S. Soy Database.
A one-stop shop for buyers interested in IP soy, the database serves as the most comprehensive catalog for U.S. soybeans available for use in soy-based foods such as tofu, soymilk, natto, miso, and high oleic varieties. This innovative approach to sourcing U.S. Soy lowers the barrier of entry to improving seed selection, allowing for research-based, data-driven marketing decisions.
This compilation was a collaborative effort of the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), farmers, exporters, seed companies, universities, international buyers and other stakeholders, funded by the United Soybean Board, USDA and USSEC member funds.
“Plans started in 2019 after responding to feedback from domestic and international stakeholders that there wasn’t a good tool available to highlight the different specialty soybeans grown in the U.S.,” said Will McNair, USSEC Director of Human Nutrition and Oil. “Buyers were looking for more information about the different types of IP beans grown in the U.S., as well as quality attributes.”
The Specialty U.S. Soy Database is an innovative educational tool, in addition to serving as a buying guide. Users can filter to narrow selections by intended use, size and type, matching them with the perfect bean.
Complete with a photo, quality markers, composition, information on growing region, estimated tofu/soymilk yields and more, the catalog goes beyond raw data to ensure all who are interested in entering the marketplace are connected to potential suppliers while learning more about U.S. Soy.
What’s Next?
The Specialty U.S. Soy Database currently serves buyers of food beans. USSEC plans to expand its reach to all specialty soy.
“Specialty goes beyond food beans,” McNair said. “The intended use of this specialty database is to include any type of bean a buyer would need to purchase that’s non-commodity, or identity preserved.”
High Oleic is coming soon, followed by specialty animal feed beans, aquaculture beans and other varieties in years to come.
Those interested can explore the database today for a personalized approach to purchasing specialty U.S. Soy.
- Partially funded by U.S. Soy farmers, their checkoff and the soy value chain
