‘A Critical Resource’: New Report Shows that Minnesota’s Soybean Crop Meets Low Foreign Material Requirements

Dec 21, 2021

The 2021 U.S. Soybean Quality Report is now published, showcasing Minnesota’s current foreign material (FM) percentage and soybean quality data.

Funded in-part by soybean checkoff dollars and administered by University of Minnesota Soybean Extension Agronomist Seth Naeve, the report is intended to provide new crop quality data to aid international customers with their purchasing decisions.

“In the face of very challenging drought conditions, Minnesota’s soybean producers still produced a 2021 soybean crop possessing one of the lowest contents of foreign material in the U.S.,” says Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council Director of Market Development Kim Nill.

The report states Minnesota soybean farmers averaged 0.2 percent foreign material in 2021. Nill says this number is critical when exporting internationally, especially to China.

“The major export route for Minnesota soybeans is via Pacific Northwest ports, and 90 percent of PNW soybean exports go to China, which has a maximum allowed FM content rule of less than one percent FM,” Nill says.

In December 2017, China announced the country would only allow No. 2 soybeans from the U.S. with less than 1 percent FM present, which was formerly set at less than 2 percent. Fortunately, Minnesota soybean farmers were already producing soybeans under the new criteria and have continued to do so year after year.

Along with foreign material, the quality report shows the protein and oil percentage, along with amino acid levels for Minnesota soybeans.

Click here to see more...

Video: Independent Seed, National Impact | On The Brink: Episode 9

A survey of 200 independent seed businesses reveals what Canada's seed sector actually contributes — and what it stands to lose.

On the Brink, Justin Funk, a third-generation agri-marketer, shares the findings of a national survey conducted in early 2026. The numbers reframe the conversation: independent seed companies in Canada represent upwards of $1.7 billion in dedicated seed infrastructure, approximately 3,000 full-time equivalent jobs in rural communities, and an estimated $20 million in annual community contributions. And roughly 90% of Canada's cereals, pulses, and other small pollinated crops flow through them.

The survey also asked how dependent these businesses are on public plant breeding to survive. The answer was unambiguous. For policymakers evaluating the future of publicly funded breeding programs, Funk argues the economic case for this sector and the case for public plant breeding are the same argument.

On the Brink is a cross-country video series exploring the future of plant breeding in Canada. Each episode features voices from across the industry in an open, ongoing conversation about innovation and long-term investment in Canadian agriculture.