T&H Dairy is operated by Mike Halfman and his family near Fowler, Michigan. They milk 1,600 cows with about 4,400 acres of corn, alfalfa, wheat and soybeans. More than two years ago, the family began exploring the use of high-oleic soybeans in their dairy rations after their seed representative introduced them to the concept. In August 2025, they began roasting soybeans onsite, following almost a year of construction to build their own roasting and storage facility.
High-oleic soybeans have the potential to improve human health and increase farm profits for those able to take advantage of near-term opportunities. They offer farmers the opportunity to improve profitability while meeting demand for healthier oils and livestock feed.
Stewardship is required when growing GMO varieties because including significant quantities of high-oleic soybeans in conventional loads will change the fatty acid ratio and nutritional value of the oil and potentially cause problems for end users. If storing grain prior to delivery, growers must have enough separate bins for the high-oleic soybeans and their other grains.
Entering into a high-oleic soybean contract with another farmer typically means one party, often a dairy farmer, intends to use the soybeans as feed. In that case, it’s important for both parties to identify the number of soybean acres or bushels needed to meet the herd's nutritional requirements as well as the amount the soybean farmer can reasonably supply. In a science-backed ration, one milking cow consumes approximately one acre of high-oleic soybeans on average per year.
A farmer-to-farmer contract should outline key terms, including the premium to be paid for high-oleic soybeans -- often based on third-party processor premiums, which range from $0.50 to $1.50 per bushel. That price may also be tied to local commodity soybean prices and adjusted for increased input costs, storage, basis or transportation savings. Any trucking or hauling charges should be specified and factored into the premium.
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