Soybean Uses

 Soybeans are naturally high in oil and protein. For this reason, there is a whole host of ways soybeans are utilized to help make our daily lives easier.

Feed

Animal agriculture is the #1 user of soybeans. Poultry and livestock rely on nutrient-dense soybean meal (the part of the soybean remaining after the oils have been extracted) to thrive and then produce nutrient-dense protein to fuel our families.

• Poultry consume 67% of soybeans produced*

• Pigs consumer nearly 21% of soybeans produced*

• Beef and dairy cattle consume just over 10% of soybeans produced *

• Fish and shrimp, other farm animals and companion animals consume the remaining 2% of soybeans produced*

  
  

Food

You might be surprised by the many soy-based products you have in your pantry. In addition to the more common soy products like soy milk, tofu, edemame and meat alternatives, soybean oil is one of the most commonly used vegetable oils in the United States. In fact, 61% of the soybean oil used in America goes to the food industry. ***

It’s even been proven that soy products have a place in a healthy lifestyle. The FDA has reviewed research that reflects daily consumption of 25 g of soy protein a day (as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol) may reduce one’s risk of heart disease. **

Fuel

Soybean oil can replace volatile ingredients such as petroleum in many industrial and consumer products. A 60-pound bushel of soybeans yields about 11 pounds of soybean oil, which goes into the most well known example of the soybeans industrial use: biodiesel.

Biodiesel is a cleaner-burning, renewable alternative to petroleum diesel. Biodiesel is blended into traditional diesel used in the United States in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emission. In fact, studies reflect a decline in emissions by up to 86% when utilizing biodiesel over traditional petroleum-based diesel.

Fiber

From soy-based carpet backing to walls and ceilings filled with soy-based insulation, new uses for soy materialize all around us. The soybean checkoff helps fund the development of new soy-based products that enter the market in five main target areas, including adhesives, coatings and printing inks, lubricants, plastics and solvents.

Thanks to checkoff investments, researchers and manufacturers are working day after day to find new ways to incorporate soy-based ingredients into the products we rely on. Currently John Deere and Case New Holland utilize soy plastic to manufacture sheet-modeled paneling for their tractors. Major auto manufactures, like Ford, utilize soybeans in seating and headrests made of soy foam. As new sources of demand continue to grown, so does the demand for Oklahoma and United States grown soybeans.

Sources and Additional Resources:
* 2017 Soybean Meal Demand Analysis, United Soybean Board.
** The Scientific Data are Clear: Soy Protein Provides Heart Healthy Benefits, The Soy Nutrition Institute
*** United Soybean Board Market View Database.
**** Fueling Diesel Engines with Methyl-Ester Soybean Oil, University of Missouri.