Driving Iowa's soybean production

December 11, 2024 | Kriss Nelson

In the 1920s, it was a little-known American forage crop. By 1969, U.S. farmers produced more than 75% of the world’s soybeans. By 1973, soybeans became America’s top cash crop and leading export commodity, ahead of wheat and corn.

“It is because of the effort of checkoff, growth and support of our farmers in Iowa and the leadership that has encompassed the Iowa Soybean Association for 60 years we have grown a small protein crop into a significant crop in Iowa and the world’s economy,” says Christie Wiebbecke, ISA’s chief officer of research and conservation.

Improvements through research

The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) has substantially driven this evolution through checkoff-funded on-farm research.

“The legacy of the Iowa Soybean Association’s on-farm research is a long history thanks to the investment and value our farmer board and Iowa farmers see in having unbiased research that happens with their equipment in their fields in diverse geographies across the state,” says Wiebbecke.

Tony Lem, an ISA farmer member from Slater, works to adopt research data on his farm by participating in trials with ISA’s Research Center for Farming Innovation (RCFI).

“The Iowa Soybean Association is not trying to sell me anything, they are just helping me grow a better product,” he says. “I have faith that the answers I receive from them are in my best interests.”

Checkoff-funded research has helped to evolve a Chinese vine crop into a valuable commodity, contributing $124 billion to the U.S. economy in 2023, according to a study commissioned by the National Oilseed Processors Association and the United Soybean Board.

“Research has led to significant improvements,” says Wiebbecke. “Because of breeding and attention to disease and pests, we have been able to improve the genetics of the crop and its resistance to different pests and diseases. Farmers’ investment in this research through checkoff dollars have helped make this research possible.”

RCFI’s goal is to deliver the best farmer-led research combining agronomic, conservation and analytics tailored for soybean farmers so they can implement results and improve their operation.

ISA Farmer Member Dan De Vries has participated in a wide range of on-farm trials with RCFI. From soybean populations to cover crops to fungicides, the Prairie City-area farmer says he looks for any opportunity to take part in on-farm research.

“I value the research done by the Iowa Soybean Association,” he says. “They do research that is important to the farmers. It is important to take part of our checkoff dollars and put it back onto the farm to help the farmers improve — that’s the most valuable piece I see research doing, helping our bottom line on our farm, every day, every year.”

Ensuring the future

For 60 years, ISA has partnered with Iowa State University (ISU) to address production challenges that limit soybean yield and producer profitability.

Since 1972, ISA has invested more than $68 million in checkoff funding for basic and applied research conducted at Iowa State University. This partnership has worked to share results and recommendations to help Iowa soybean farmers increase yields through better disease, insect and weed management.

Today, ISA and ISU continue their long-standing partnership through the Iowa Soybean Research Center (ISRC) at ISU’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, which celebrated 10 years of innovative soybean research in 2024.

“We are bringing the expertise of soybean farmers, the university and industry all together and maximizing the investment for the farmer to solve researchable questions for the good of the industry,” says Wiebbecke.

A holistic approach

RCFI is beginning to explore the potential benefits of combining multiple best management practices and comparing them to standard practices in Iowa.

“Whether it’s fighting weeds, insects, diseases or environmental conditions, how can we help farmers maximize their profitability with the decisions they make on the farm? Through improved cropping systems trials, we hope to help farmers decipher what decisions they make will help maximize that balance of productive, profitable and sustainable farming,” says Wiebbecke.

Split-application nitrogen management, specific cover crop species, reduced tillage and delayed cover crop termination have all shown improved profitability or increased sustainability individually. RCFI believes that when utilized together, this system can provide a more profitable and sustainable program to produce soybeans and corn in Iowa.

“Every year is a research year,” says Lem. “Each year brings you something a little different. Every step you take to improve is something you build on, and it helps you improve. The more years of research you have, the better you will be.”

Research and conservation

Lem has also relied on research to assist him in adopting other conservation practices, such as bioreactors and saturated buffers.

“Our research and conservation go hand in hand,” says Wiebbecke. “We learn a lot from the work our farmers do and can design experiments to help support implementing conservation efforts. Our farmers have always been leaders in both research and conservation.”

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