Farms.com Home   News

Introducing SD Soybean’s New Curriculum

Soybeans hold immense potential not only in South Dakota fields, but also in South Dakota’s agriculture classrooms. Thanks to the support of the South Dakota Soybean Checkoff, a new agriculture curriculum launched in July for agriculture educators across the state.

This new curriculum places soybeans at the forefront of learning. With ten topics spanning various agricultural pathways, it integrates state standards while offering a fresh perspective on the versatile crop. From exploring soybean composition and diseases, to delving into soy’s applications in aquaculture, food processing, and biofuels production, each lesson promises engaging, hands-on experiences that will resonate with learners across the state.

Within the curriculum, an array of resources awaits educators, offering a comprehensive toolkit for classroom instruction. From detailed guides for teachers to reading materials for students, instructional aids, worksheets, supplementary resources, and engaging projects, each component is designed to enrich the classroom experience. The curriculum provides a wealth of information in different formats so educators can adapt the topics to their own classrooms and learners.

This curriculum project also includes funding for lab kits, curated to equip teachers with essential materials to implement the ten topics into their agriculture classroom. Each kit includes a copy of the curriculum and the materials for five hands-on labs for up to twenty students.

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

Supplemental Nitrogen on Soybeans: Can Early Nitrogen Increase Yield?

Video: Supplemental Nitrogen on Soybeans: Can Early Nitrogen Increase Yield?

Can supplemental nitrogen help soybeans reach higher yield potential? Technical Agronomist Tim Sickman walks through an ongoing trial at the Nutrien Innovation Farm in Owensboro, Kentucky, exploring whether a modest amount of nitrogen applied at planting can support higher-yielding soybean environments.

The trial compares 30 pounds of supplemental nitrogen across both 15- and 30-inch rows, along with treatments that include sulfur and micronutrients. Similar trials conducted in 2024 and 2025 delivered a six- to seven-bushel yield response, prompting the team to expand the research this season.

Early observations show that treated soybeans are slightly taller and averaging about two additional nodes on the main stem. These added nodes could create more opportunities for blooms and pods, but the true results will come at harvest when the team evaluates pod development, seed fill and final yield.

In This Video:

Why high-yield soybeans may need supplemental nitrogen

Results from the 2024 and 2025 trials

Nitrogen treatments in 15- and 30-inch rows

Fertilizer placement and application methods

Differences in plant height and node counts

Potential effects on pod development and yield