There are many factors in farming that are out of a farmer’s hands, but growing high-quality soybeans that are worth more to their bottom lines is not one of them.
“Seed selection is the biggest thing farmers can do when it comes to growing high-quality soybeans,” says Scott Singlestad, soy checkoff farmer-leader from Waseca, Minnesota. “There are varietal differences in seeds when it comes to protein and oil content.”
Some seed catalogs list protein and oil data alongside other metrics. There are also other resources that will provide you with this information.
“You can always start with your seed dealer,” Singlestad says. “If you ask, they can get the protein and oil content for you if it’s not published. You can also use the Soybean Quality Toolbox.”
The Soybean Quality Toolbox is a free tool from the soy checkoff that shows how commercial soybean varieties performed in test plots across the soybean-producing region of the United States. It lists protein and oil content, along with yield, all of which contribute to how valuable that variety is to soybean farmers and their customers. And using the tool takes just three easy steps.
Informed seed selection is the key to meeting all of your customers’ demands. With the Soybean Quality Toolbox, finding seeds that offer high quality without sacrificing yield is just a click away.
Source:unitedsoybean.org