For nearly 30 years, the North Central Soybean Research Program has been investing soybean checkoff dollars in production research and extension outreach. (Photo: Joseph L. Murphy/Iowa Soybean Association)
Soybean farmers have a partner in production research. A partner that helps boost and protect yield and profitability. And a partner that finds answers to established and emerging production challenges and opportunities.
For nearly 30 years, the North Central Soybean Research Program (NCSRP) has been investing soybean checkoff dollars in production research and extension outreach. Those dollars represent investment from more than 355,000 farmers across 13 states who produce 85 percent of the nation’s total soybeans – farmers from North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
“After nearly 30 years, the NCSRP continues to grow in membership, continues to increase its investment in multi-state, multi-disciplinary basic and applied soybean research,” Ed Anderson, executive director of NCSRP, said. “The research is farmer-focused and farmer-prioritized and brings value to farmers and the soybean industry.”
NCSRP is unique because research partnerships cross state lines and cover many different disciplines. This allows NCSRP to expand its impact on solving production problems and introducing new ways to help soybean farmers to provide changing and expanding markets with the highest yielding and highest quality soybeans and soybean products. Collaborative projects reflect NCSRP’s emphasis on protecting and increasing soybean yield and quality. Computer, lab and in-field research cover everything from genetics to agronomic practices.
Since 1992, farmers from NCSRP-member states have put $56 million into soybean research, teaching and extension. For the current fiscal year, nearly $2.9 million is invested in work that covers yield and composition, aphids and other insect pests, and the number one pest, soybean cyst nematode. Other areas of focus include agronomics, biotechnology, sudden death syndrome, white mold and weed management. The FY20 annual report and funded projects can be viewed online.
Soybean farmers can be confident that NCSRP is looking out for their short- and long-term success with the sustained investment in basic and applied soybean production research. NCSRP also teaches and trains the next generation of soybean researchers while sharing research results in formats that can be used on the farm and across the soybean industry. NCSRP is poised to continue to efficiently and effectively address the production challenges and opportunities that can bring value to soybean farmers now and into the future.