Times are changing in the soybean industry. No longer is it enough to simply provide the most soybeans. The United Soybean Board (USB) has turned its attention to building preference for U.S. soybeans by focusing on producing sustainable, high-quality meal and oil that meet end-users’ demands.
This new priority has USB positioned to re-commoditize soy by looking for innovative solutions to improve and create markets for U.S. soybean meal and oil. To show its commitment to forward thinking, the message is a part of USB’s overall vision: U.S. soy drives soybean innovation beyond the bushel.
“We are looking beyond just bushel gains and into new ways to capture value on behalf of our farmers,” says USB Director from North Dakota, Jared Hagert. “If we are going to improve our soybeans and growing practices, we have to make sure that the market values our product and the solutions we provide to our end users.”
USB has a proven track record of discovering solutions to meet market shifts:
- The implementation of the biodiesel industry improved soybean prices and increased demand.
- Investments in high oleic soybean varieties helped capture lost market share in the food oil sector.
- The ability to constantly innovate and think beyond the bushel gives U.S. soy a competitive advantage in the global market.
USB is capitalizing on global demand for soy by making sure end users prefer U.S. soy over the competition.
“We do this by providing innovative products that meet end-user demands,” says Hagert. “By looking beyond the bushel to what our end-users really want, the checkoff strives to continue making U.S. soybeans the preferred soybeans globally.”
