Animal agriculture has plenty of protein options beyond U.S. soybean meal it can order from the “animal feed menu.” With all of these choices, it is crucial that farmers choose high-quality soybean varieties in order to keep quality up and demand high.
That’s because demand can also add to the value soybean farmers receive.
“It all starts with the quality of the soybean,” says Ronny Moser, Ph.D., managing director of research innovation and technical service as JBS United, a nutrition and health solutions provider to animal agriculture. “Quality is related to the nutrient composition of the soybean, and producing higher-quality soybean meal adds value both to the soybean farmer and animal ag.”
According to soy-checkoff-funded research, if farmers increase the protein content of their soybeans by 1 percentage point, the estimated processed value (EPV) generated could increase by between $7.70 and $12.96 per acre, depending on the state. The EPV is driven by the combined value of soybean meal, oil and hulls, and in turn, drives the price farmers could receive by increasing demand.
Protein is just one of the nutritional elements in soybean meal that poultry and livestock farmers look for. Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, are the key component in soybean meal’s nutritional bundle. Other key components include energy, vitamins and minerals.
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