BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (April 1, 2021) – Illinois farmers lead the United States in growing high-quality soybeans. Accounting for nearly 15 percent of all U.S. soybean production, Soy from Illinois is a nutrient-dense and sustainable food ingredient.
Soybeans produced in Illinois are processed into meal and oil. Approximately 88 percent of soybean oil is used for human consumption, mostly as cooking oil, while 98 percent of protein-rich soybean meal is used as animal feed, with the remaining two percent used for human consumption.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 confirm that soy is a high-quality, nutrient-dense food ingredient, including soy-based foods in four of the six core elements: dairy, oils, vegetables and protein foods.
As a complete protein, soy contains all nine essential amino acids. Soy is also a source of both essential fatty acids, including the omega-3 essential fat alpha-linolenic acid. In addition to being nutrient-dense, soy from Illinois is also affordable and versatile. It can be found in the grocery store in many forms – from edamame, soy nuts, soy sauce, tofu, tempeh and soy-based meats to soy-fed meats including pork and chicken. No matter the form, soy is attracting consumers interested in health, lifestyle and nutrition.
“Illinois soybean farmers are proud to lead the nation in producing high-quality, nutrient-dense soybeans,” said Rachel Peabody, Director of Communications for the Illinois Soybean Association. “Our farmers take great care in not only producing a high-quality crop, but also in using new technologies and practices to increase yield and productivity, while also decreasing the environmental impact to provide a sustainable and affordable feed and food ingredient.”
Illinois farmers are at the forefront of adopting new technologies and best practices to continuously improve their ability to sustainably grow soybeans, conserving the land, water and air for future generations. In the past 30 years, Illinois soybean farmers have reduced land use per bushel, energy use per acre, soil erosion by 90 percent and decreased irrigation water use.
The Illinois Soybean Association and the 43,000 Illinois soybean farmers they represent are committed to providing sustainable, high-quality soy ingredients. To learn more about Soy from Illinois, visit, www.ilsoy.org.
###
About the Illinois Soybean Association
The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) checkoff program represents more than 43,000 soybean farmers in Illinois. The checkoff funds market development and utilization efforts to increase demand for and use of Illinois soybeans. ISA programs are designed to uphold the interests of Illinois soybean producers through promotion, advocacy, and education with the vision of becoming a market leader in sustainable soybean production and profitability. For more information, visit the website www.ilsoy.org.
Contact:
Rachel Peabody
Director of Communications
Illinois Soybean Association
Email: peabody@ilsoy.org
Erica Ballmer
Rhea + Kaiser
Tel: (630) 955-2514
Email: eballmer@rkconnect.com
