Soybean production is a major contributor to Missouri agriculture’s overall financial health. Every year since 2016, soybeans have been the state’s highest value crop, including $4 billion in 2021, $3.96 billion in 2022 and $3.36 billion in 2023.
Behind this success story is an organization — the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council — that is not only all in on selling Missouri soybeans but is also leading and collaborating to bolster Missouri agriculture across the board. MSMC, funded by farmer investments in the Missouri soybean checkoff, serves farmers through soybean demand growth, research and education.
MORE THAN TALK
The farmer-led organization invests resources to see ideas come to fruition. That includes market-moving projects such as infrastructure improvements, renewable fuel innovation, livestock and aquaculture feed innovation, end-use research advances and domestic and international market development campaigns. That also creates a rising tide for the entire Missouri agricultural economy, from livestock to other crops.
MSMC’s resolute thought leadership is rooted in the grit and dedication of farmer-leaders and professional staff committed to exploration, innovation and multi-faceted, sustainable success. Matt Amick, director of market development for Missouri Soybeans, believes the organization is leading an intentional revolution of innovation.
Missouri, the seventh-largest soybean-producing state in the United States, grew 5.5 million acres of soybeans in 2023, yielding 265 million bushels (48 bushels per acre). The critical role of soybeans in the state’s economy is not only as a staple crop but also as a force multiplier, supporting thousands of jobs, from farming to processing and transportation.
STRENGTHENING LOCAL FOUNDATIONS
MSMC’s approach to market development is methodical and community focused. The organization strengthens local soybean demand by boosting the in-state production of biofuels, food and animal feed.
“We’re focused from the inside out,” says Amick. “With respect to all our other customers across the country and the world, we first want to create domestic demand in-state,” Amick explained, adding that the organization’s ambitious goal is to transform Missouri into a net importer of soybeans.
“We want to build demand for and the use of soybeans in Missouri to continue to grow and bring more opportunities to the farmers in our state. This goal isn’t just about increasing demand; it’s about reshaping Missouri’s agricultural landscape to become a hub of soybean consumption and processing.”
According to Kyle Durham, past chairman of the MSMC, that strategy started with a simple question.
How do we add value to the state’s soybean crop and provide our farmers with the opportunity to capture that additional value? This means collaborating wherever we can to increase domestic soybean consumption, specifically within Missouri. As demand throughout the state grows, the local basis improves for all soybean farmers. It’s about empowering our farmers to be competitive and profitable now and in the future.
SOYBEANS IN HIGH-VALUE LIVESTOCK FEED
One of the most promising areas for soybean use and innovation is high-value livestock feed. Missouri Soybeans is actively investing in research and development to enhance the nutritional value of soybean meal for livestock. This creates more efficient and sustainable feed options for Missouri’s livestock industry.
“Supporting our partners in livestock production is a top priority, as they are our largest customers. The expansion of the livestock sector is crucial to achieving our goal of increasing demand for Missouri soybeans,” said Aaron Porter, past chairman of the MSMC. “We collaborate with meat and dairy producers to enhance demand. This includes advancing inclusion rates in rations and implementing SOYLEIC-based rations, which increase milk fat content and improve livestock nutrition.”
SOYLEIC soybeans are a high-oleic, low-linolenic variety developed through traditional breeding techniques to produce oil with improved health benefits and functionality. Developed by breeders at the University of Missouri in partnership with USDA, MSMC serves as the exclusive licensee of the patented technology and have been commercializing the patented trait across the globe.
Currently offered as a non-GMO variety, there are plans to develop and offer SOYLEIC soybeans with GM traits to make them more competitive from an on-farm agronomic standpoint.
Creating premium markets for Missouri soybeans goes beyond livestock feed. This involves creating new value and demand through direct export programs, specific end-use traits and integrating sustainable agricultural practices that could significantly increase the identity-preserved value of Missouri soybeans.
INNOVATION THROUGH RESEARCH AND STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT
The root of any marketplace premium starts in the research lab. Promising soybean varieties are identified for research plots to prove success before being offered to farmers. MSMC benefits from the advantage of owning the Farm for Soy Innovation, where the organization conducts cutting-edge research to help Missouri farmers continue to provide a sustainable, reliable and high-quality supply of soybeans.
“That facility is pivotal to our strategy to enhance the genetic and agronomic traits of Missouri soybeans,” Amick said. “The work there improves soybean yields and advances conservation practices that help meet the growing concerns from consumers and customers about soybean production.”
One recent success in this area is the discovery of a new gene to combat soybean cyst nematode (SCN). The gene, GmSNAP02, is a novel trait that will assist with SCN resistance and improve the profitability and productivity of soybean farmers.
BIOFUELS DRIVING PROGRESS
Compatible with the net-importer strategy, a significant portion of Missouri’s soybean crop is used within the state’s boundaries as soybean oil for biodiesel production, where Missouri ranks as the second-largest producer in the United States. Using checkoff dollars to fund University of Missouri research, Missouri farmers created the biodiesel industry in the U.S., according to Amick.
Today, that scope has broadened to innovations such as renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Demand levels for those fuels are projected to increase significantly during the next five years, driven by the global push for decarbonization and societal demands for sustainable energy solutions.
The global market for renewable diesel is expected to grow by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4% through 2029, while SAF is projected to hit an impressive CAGR of 46% during that same period, according to research from Market Data Forecast.
Benefiting from those growth markets depends on the ability to transport Missouri soybeans to new production facilities. Transportation and infrastructure are among MSMC’s priorities. That includes railroads, roads and bridges, river ports and locks and dams on Missouri’s rivers, according to MSMC Chairman Mark Lehenbauer.
Investments in transportation and logistics not only facilitate the efficient movement of soybeans but also open new opportunities in emerging markets. We’re closely monitoring the need for sustainable infrastructure solutions that can adapt to changing weather patterns and environmental conditions. It’s crucial that we invest in resilient infrastructure to ensure the consistent delivery of our soybeans.
One example is the recent expansion of rail services in key areas of tthe state, such as the Northern Missouri rail lines, which facilitate smoother and more cost-effective transport of soybeans to processing plants and ports.
Regardless of the topic, if it’s related to Missouri agriculture, the chances are good that a Missouri soybean component or MSMC’s collaborative involvement is in the mix.
“The work we accomplish through the Missouri soybean checkoff is the result of us bringing both ideas and funding to the table, which helps make us a thought leader for Missouri agriculture,” Amick says.
This article is funded by the United Soybean Board QSSB Grant Program.
