The Choice is Simple: Choose High Oleic

High oleic soybeans provide farmers with yield, profitability

Farmers have many things to consider when preparing for an upcoming planting season. Should they repair old equipment or buy new equipment? Should they plant the same crops as last year? What factors should be considered when selecting seed for next planting season? While farmers have many things to consider each winter, one thing they should remember is that they can get yield and profitability with high oleic soybeans.

Currently available in select markets throughout the soybean belt, high oleic varieties allow farmers to offer end-use customers a U.S.-grown, highly functional oil without sacrificing performance.

“The performance has been equal to or better than conventional beans,” says Al Osterlund, soybean farmer from Albion, Indiana, who grows high oleic soybeans. “This year, we had the opportunity to try some newer varieties, and they were even better. I definitely think it’s something that’s here to stay.”

The soy checkoff views high oleic soybeans as an opportunity to add to farmer profitability by bringing back lost oil market share. The oil provides a highly stable, U.S.-grown oil for the food industry and more industrial users. High oleic soybeans will add additional demand from customers looking for an oil that performs under high-heat conditions. This added demand from high oleic soybeans will raise demand for all soybeans, benefitting all U.S. soybean farmers, including those who don’t grow high oleic.

“More uses for our oil means a more valuable market for soybeans,” says Mike Beard, soy checkoff farmer-leader from Indiana. “So even though not everyone grows high oleic oil, it still takes the place of some regular conventional oils, which will add value to all soybean farmers.”

Farmers can currently grow high oleic soybeans in select areas in Minnesota, Iowa, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Osterlund adds, “As farmers, we need to look at all the opportunities we can to maximize our profits, and growing high oleic soybeans is certainly one of those opportunities.”

To see if high oleic soybeans are available in your area, visit https://www.unitedsoybean.org/high-oleic-soybeans/delivery-locations/.