IllInoIs soy - ILSoyAdvisor · Illinois State University, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, University of Illinois and Western Illinois University. Ag in the Classroom Illinois

Sustainability from the Ground Up.

IllInoIs soy

From our family farm to you, sustainably.The goal of Illinois soybean farmers is simple: Get soybeans from our fields into customers’ hands in the most sustainable way possible. It’s a goal we share with many others—everyone from soybean buyers to livestock producers to retailers. Funded by the Illinois soybean checkoff, this booklet shows how the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) is promoting sustainability goals important within the food chain. It also shows how we live our values by making sustainability goals part of everything we do throughout the soybean lifecycle—from soil to seed to marketplace. Before we start, though, let’s look at some facts about Illinois soybeans:

•Nearly 9 million acres (3.6 million hectares) of soybeans are harvested each year in Illinois.

• Illinois ranks third nationally in agricultural exports, with soybean exports estimated at $2.3 billion.

• Illinois has four first-class universities conducting research into improving productivity while reducing the soybean footprint.

• Illinois has easy access to energy-efficient road, rail and river systems for global export.

Defining sustainabilitySustainable agriculture will meet today’s needs while helping future generations to meet their needs by:

• Increasing productivity to meet future needs while decreasing environmental impact.

• Improving access to safe food and feed, and the production of renewable fuel that reduces air quality impacts.

• Improving the social and economic well-being of farmers and the global community.

Environmental Stewardship

Good Business Practices

Labor Practices, Labor Relations & Worker Conditions

Social Responsibility

Best Management Practices

Customer Needs

Our five focus areas For most Illinois soybean farmers, meeting today’s sustainability goals is not a new idea. We’ve been making improvements since long before sustainability was popular, and we’re still at it. For example, the U.S. government made rules for soil conservation back in 1935, and ongoing progress is needed on farms, just like any business. The following pages show our progress in five areas meeting sustainability goals and customer needs.

We’re opening our doors so the world can see our commitment to sustainability.


A commitment to social responsibility. Any sustainability program must put people and communities at the center of its efforts. Illinois soybean farmers understand that—and we’re taking tangible steps to help our communities in the U.S. and more than 80 countries. Here are some examples:

Crop Science ScholarshipsEach year 10 scholarships worth $4,000 each are awarded to students majoring in crop sciences at four agricultural universities: Illinois State University, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, University of Illinois and Western Illinois University.

Ag in the Classroom Illinois Ag in the Classroom is a working partnership that provides Illinois educators and students with ag-related resources. We support the project by developing and providing educational materials at little or no charge.

Educational Publications We’ve made it easy for elementary school teachers to enhance or supplement their existing curriculum with educational activities about soybeans.


Global Support to Emerging Markets We support the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) and other outreach programs. WISHH is a program that was started by Illinois farmers. It is an idea that all farmers now support through the American Soybean Association. Through this program the benefits of U.S. soy protein are brought to developing countries, such as Haiti and those in Africa and Central America, where it can make a difference in lives today and in the future.

Local Food Donations We work with local food banks and other organizations to provide hunger relief in our communities. This year we partnered with the Illinois Pork Producers Association to help with their Pork Power program to fight hunger in Illinois. That program supplied 13,500 pounds of ground pork to the Midwest Food Bank in Bloomington, Ill.

Field DaysThese events allow the community to see the latest practices for reducing impact while maximizing productivity.

Soy Innovations Illinois soybean farmers are helping to explore new ways soybeans can be used worldwide—in advanced biofuels, plastics, ink and other products.

13,500 poundsdonated


A commitment to environmental stewardship. Sustainability includes much more than social responsibility. Illinois soybean farmers also are good stewards of the environment. The Illinois Soybean Association is a member of the Keystone Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, a national program that has outlined five key environmental resource indicators: land use, energy use, soil loss, irrigation water use and CO2 emissions.

U.S. Soybean Efficiency IndicatorsSoybean production impact has dropped in each category measured by the Keystone Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture.


Land

Use

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Using our land efficiently For us, environmental stewardship starts with the efficient use of the land in Illinois. Yield trends show that Illinois soybean farmers continually get more production from each acre.

Fieldprint Calculator Allows Farmer Comparisons A Field to Market Fieldprint Calculator developed by the Keystone Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture helps farmers assess their operations in terms of natural resource management and sustainability. The calculator also helps farmers compare their performance against county, state and national averages. Farmers using the calculator can explore how different farming practices influence sustainability outcomes.

Increasing yields have resulted in soybean land use per bushel decreasing by 26 percent over the past 20 years.

Source: Field to Market: The Keystone Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture

Land required to produce one unit of output, indexed to 2000


Saving Soil In addition to improving land use efficiency, use of reduced tillage by Illinois soybean farmers also reduces soil loss. Leaving crop residue undisturbed longer increases soil organic matter, improving soil health and productivity.

Source: According to the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST)


Conservation Reserve ProgramIllinois soybean farmers also participate in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which encourages them to take cropland subject to erosion out of production.

NRCS: Conservation Stewardship ProgramIn addition to the CRP, Illinois soybean farmers also comply with National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) programs that protect natural resources and provide farmers incentives to participate in conservation efforts. For example, the NRCS Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) provides conservation program payments. CSP participants receive an annual land-use payment for operation-level environmental benefits they produce. CSP participants are paid for conservation performance: the higher the performance, the higher their payment.

The U.S. government provides incentives to avoid soybean production on highly erodible land, delivering the following benefits:

•Reduce soil loss due to wind and water erosion.

• Protect the nation’s long-term capability to produce food and fiber.

•Reduce sedimentation and improve water quality.

• Assist in preserving the functions and values of the nation’s wetlands.

To be eligible for Conservation Stewardship Program payments, farmers must be in compliance with the highly erodible land and wetland conservation provisions of 7 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 12.

Soybean Energy Use per Acre & Yield per Acre

65%per bushel

48%per acre

less energy used


less energy used

Efficient Energy UseSince 1987, the energy used per acre has decreased by 48 percent, while energy used per bushel has decreased 65 percent.


Reduced Tillage Energy BenefitsSoybean producers take several steps to improve energy efficiency. Reduced tillage practices, which reduce or eliminate plowing, deliver much of the efficiency gains. The less farmers plow, the greater the fuel savings. On a 500-acre farm, the savings from reduced tillage can be significant.

Fewer Inputs, Less EnergySoybeans fix nitrogen in soil so they need very limited nitrogen fertilizer. This considerably reduces the total amount of energy used to produce the soybeans. The nitrogen-fixing properties of soybeans also bring fertility benefits to the corn-soybean rotation practiced by most soybean farmers. Illinois soybean farmers also have significantly reduced herbicides and fuel for tillage. That has allowed the per-unit energy requirements to decline substantially over time.

Tillage System

Energy Expenditures as Diesel Equivalent

No 1.9

Strip 2.09

Ridge 3.3

Mulch 4.1

Reduced 4.1

Conventional 4.9

Intensive 5.88

There are a variety of practices that reduce or eliminate plowing.


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Producing Renewable EnergyAnother way Illinois soybean farmers increase sustainability through renewable energy is by using soybean oil to make advanced biofuels. Soybean oil is about half of U.S. biofuel production, bringing several benefits.

Positive Energy BalanceAccording to the National Biodiesel Board, ® biodiesel has the highest energy balance of any fuel, returning 5.54 units of renewable energy for every one unit of energy needed to produce it.

Biofuel Economic Benefits


Soybean Carbon Emissions & Yield per Acre

Source: Field to Market: The Keystone Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture

Lifecycle carbon emissions: Reduced 57 percent to 86 percent compared to petrol diesel, making it the best carbon reduction tool of any liquid fuel that’s commercially available.

Protecting air qualityProtecting air quality is an important sustainability goal for Illinois soybean farmers. One way they have accomplished that is through reduced tillage, which reduces fuel requirements. Burning less fuel reduces CO2 emissions. Even assuming only 10 percent of the annual no-till is continuous, as measured by the Conservation Tillage Information Center, net carbon balance per acre has decreased by 14 percent overall, while emissions per bushel decreased by 38 percent.


Federal and State Water Protection PartnershipsIllinois soybean farmers participate in a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation program that protects waterways. The USDA and the state of Illinois partner in a Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), which removes about 132,000 acres of farmland along the Illinois River to protect water quality. Program funding will total about $322 million over 15 years.

Reduce total sediment loading in the Illinois River by 20 percent. Reduce phosphorus and nitrogen

loading in the river by 10 percent.

Increase native fish and mussel stocks by 10 percent in lower reaches of the river.

Increase populations of waterfowl, shorebirds, and state and federally listed species by 15 percent within the project area.

CREP Goals:

Waterway ProtectionConservation tillage also helps hold farm inputs in the field. Illinois farmers participate in the Keep It for the Crop (KIC) by 2025 program, which promotes keeping fertilizer and other chemicals in the field, rather than off-site.

Four Rs of Nutrient Stewardship:Right Fertilizer source at the Right Rate and at theRight Time and in theRight Place


Preserving Soil MoistureWhether an Illinois farmer irrigates or relies on rainfall, everyone manages for moisture conservation to squeeze more production out of every drop. Here are two examples of how Illinois soybean farmers manage moisture more efficiently.

•Reduced tillage helps preserve soil moisture. According to the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST), reduced tillage can reduce annual soil moisture evaporation loss by 5.9 inches.

• Planting soybeans with narrow row spacing creates a tighter leaf canopy, which makes crops more drought-resistant.

Reducing Water UseIn some areas of the U.S., water is an increasingly scarce resource because of greater demands from population growth and urbanization. Crops require a lot of water. More people need more food so agriculture impacts water supplies, especially when irrigation is used. Fortunately for Illinois soybean farmers, the state gets an average of 33 inches of rain per year. Soybean irrigation is limited to just a few small areas of Illinois. Soybean farmers are using less water for irrigation.

Minimizing disease, fungus and weed control impactsIllinois soybean farmers are taking advantage of new seed technologies that allow for reduced pesticide use. We’re also finding and using herbicides with lower-use rates. In addition, mandatory pesticide applicator training programs promote worker and environmental safety.


Pesticide Regulation ComplianceIllinois soybean farmers comply with pesticide application regulations and keep careful records when applying restricted use products (RUP). Federal regulations require all certified private applicators (those who apply pesticides to their own land) to maintain records of RUP applications. Records must be recorded within 14 days of the RUP application and maintained for two years. Federal regulations require that records for RUP applications must include the following information:

•Brand or product name and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registration number

• Total amount applied

• Location of the application

• Size of the area treated

• Crop, commodity, stored product or site to which an RUP was applied

•Month, day and year of the application

•Name and certification number of the applicator who applied or supervised the application of the RUP

Precision nutrient application Through the use of yield monitors, global positioning satellites and variable rate technology, farmers are able to ensure that nutrients are applied where they can do the most good. Those technologies reduce costs and prevent over-application of fertilizer.

“Soil condition varies in a soybean field and yield can vary, too. Monitors in my combine capture data on yield variation, so I know where inputs are needed instead of using the same rates across the entire field. That’s more efficient, boosts productivity and saves me money at the same time.” —Ron Moore, Roseville, Illinois

Labor Practices, Labor Relations & Worker Conditions

A commitment to worker conditions and labor relations.Illinois soybean farmers know that those who work for us are our neighbors and family members. One important way we demonstrate our commitment to sustainability is by looking out for the best interests of our workers. Here are a few examples of how we do that:

Comply with all applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines.

Complete pesticide training and make sure workers do as well.

Perform safety training.

Report worker tax and social security information properly and thoroughly.

Offer medical insurance where applicable.

Obtain commercial driver’s license (CDL) to ensure public safety.


A commitment to best management practices.To ensure that we’re maximizing productivity while minimizing impact, Illinois soybean farmers look to Best Management Practices (BMP), such as those outlined by the American Soybean Association® and International Soybean Growers Alliance. The methodology used by these organizations includes: farmland inventory and assessment, developing and refining goals, examining problems and determining priorities, and developing alternatives.

Examining problems and determining priorities —Developing an action planThis BMP involves looking at how problems can be solved or goals can be met. A farmer will look at the farm inventory and the goals and decide where the greatest need exists. This step involves identifying the areas where risks are the highest and tackling those problems first. A farmer might also examine constraints that block progress in one of the target areas. For example, costs or legal requirements may block progress, or expertise may be lacking.

Developing and refining goalsThis BMP helps farmers identify and prioritize goals and helps plan how to bring the goals into action. In this assessment, farmers will typically examine and rank goals such as income targets, resource maintenance, preserving the farm for future generations, stewardship and regulatory compliance. The next step includes identifying where to concentrate those efforts. That planning may be applied to the farmstead, the cropland or pastureland.


Farm inventory and assessmentFarm inventory and assessment includes in-depth examination and required action related to farmstead, cropland, pasture and other areas.

Farm inventory and assessment examines systems including:

•Drinking well condition

• Fertilizer storage and handling

• Pesticide storage and handling

• Petroleum storage

•Waste management

Cropland assessment includes:

•Nutrient management

• Pest management

• Water management and land use

•Wildlife (food planting, cover or shelter, etc.)

Developing alternatives—Examining best management practicesThe final BMP step may draw from an 86-page book that’s produced by the American Soybean Association. This “Best Management Handbook for Growers” covers nearly every environmental consideration related to farming. Examples of topics include:

Waterway protectionNutrient management Soil qualityTillage systemsIntegrated pest management planningEquipment maintenance and calibrationRiparian forest buffersWildlife habitat protectionInsect, weed and disease identificationDeveloping and defining improvement goalsDeveloping an action plan


Our investment in research.Every enduring business must innovate to stay healthy. Innovation in Illinois soybean production is driven through extensive research partnerships with universities and private firms. In 2011, the Illinois Soybean Association invested $5 million in research to improve soybean production and profitability. And through farmer payments to checkoff programs, a portion of the proceeds from each bushel sold is invested into soybean improvement and market development research at local, state, national and international levels. All told, these research investments have led to dramatic increases in productivity as footprint-per-bushel-produced has decreased. Much of the improvement can be attributed to research that drives changes in tillage practices, use of biotechnology and precision farming techniques, and satellite technology that matches inputs with field needs down to a few square meters.

Farm-related Jobs & Income

Community & Schools

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A commitment to good business practices. In any business the marketplace tends to reward those who use resources wisely and sustainably. Growing soybeans is no different. Illinois soybean farmers adopted the business efficiencies associated with sustainability long before sustainability was a popular concept. Sustainability simply makes good business sense. And good business is good not only for the bottom line, but also for Illinois soybean farms, our communities and our global customers.


Getting through tough timesFarmers have systems in place to help manage risk, ensuring continued operation through good times and bad. By managing risk through business arrangements such as contracting, they are able to spread risk over a wider group of stakeholders. Also, federal crop insurance is an important risk management tool. U.S. farmers insured a total of 100 million acres in 1989. By 2007, more than 270 million acres were insured.

Identity-preserved soybeansFor customers who have specialized identity-preserved needs, Illinois soybean farmers are especially well-equipped to deliver higher-value soybean supplies. Not only are exporters set up with tracking systems to monitor identity preservation, but Illinois also has easy access to containerized shipments, especially through Chicago. These containers are an ideal way to deliver specialized orders to our customers.

Meeting Quality StandardsIllinois soybean farmers look at quality two ways. One is in selecting soybean varieties that have at least 35 percent protein and 19 percent oil. The other quality standard is for the soybean product. Illinois soybean farmers must meet strict guidelines laid out by the USDA Grain Inspections, Packers, and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA). Examples of soybean inspection criteria:

•Moisture

• Test weight

• Infested soybeans

• Foreign material

• Class

• Splits

•Damaged seed

Customer Needs

A commitment to customer needs. Supporting U.S. Livestock ProductivityThe leading U.S. customers for Illinois soybean farmers are livestock producers and food manufacturers. Both groups are seeing an increasing number of sustainability-related questions not only about their operations, but also the practices of their suppliers. ISA is working to educate the state’s soybean farmers about how they can best support the sustainability needs of their customers. About 46 percent of Illinois soybeans are sold in the U.S. while the other 54 percent is exported. Because soybeans are packed with essential amino acids, they’re the gold standard among livestock nutritionists.

46%of illinois soybeans are sold in the u.s.

Soybean meal is a major protein ingredient in animal feed.

Illinois Soybean Use By Livestock

Customer Needs

Supplying Sustainable Food IngredientsWhile livestock feed is the leading use for Illinois soybeans, other customers want soybeans for food ingredients. Food ingredient manufacturers and retailers around the world are under increasing scrutiny from various customers ranging from Walmart® to Kraft® Foods or others in the consumer value chain. Some soybeans are processed into food products like tofu, tempe, or even soy milk. When soybeans are crushed for animal feed, the oil is often used in food ingredients like salad or cooking oil or baking and frying fats. ISA can work with feed ingredient customers to help document how Illinois soybean farmers are helping meet supply chain certification requirements or other standards. ISA also is working in Illinois to educate grocery shoppers, especially moms, to understand how soybeans end up at the family dinner table. The Illinois Farm Families (IFF) and ISA “What Food Gets Fed” programs communicate the role of soy in livestock operations.

Soybean meal helps U.S. producers maximize the feed efficiency of swine operations. Maximizing feed efficiency helps produce more meat with reduced environmental footprint per pound of meat produced.

Illinois soybean customers at U.S. poultry operations feed soybean meal as a key feed ingredient for use in layers and broilers. Soybean meal gets birds (or eggs) to market faster, with less cost, less waste and reduced environmental impact.

Beef and dairy producers also use soy in their rations, but they are a relatively small portion of the soybean marketplace.

Consumer demand for fish products is rapidly increasing the demand for protein in aquaculture feed. Soy meets that demand while reducing reliance on fish meal.

Customer Needs

Increasing Global Livestock ProductivityFor most products, the sustainability focus is on production impacts and sometimes postconsumer needs such as recycling, composting or other disposal challenges. With Illinois soybeans, the farm-level sustainability success story gets even better when the 54 percent of the state’s soybeans are sent to international markets.

Global Demand TrendsSoybean exports have increased about 114 percent since 1985, with much of the demand growth being driven by China. When Illinois soybeans go overseas, they are often used in livestock operations that become significantly more efficient with soybeans in the ration compared to traditional feeds.

There are several reasons for this demand growth:

Population Growth The global population has continued to increase rapidly in the last few decades, and more people need more food.

Disposable Income As emerging economies become stronger, people there have more disposable income, and when that happens their diets shift from rice and other grains to include more meat.

Global Outreach Illinois has joined with all U.S. farmers through the United Soybean Board and the American Soybean Association to provide technical resources to customers in more than 80 countries. That support often helps overseas livestock operators (and food customers) see how soybean meal can increase productivity and decrease environmental impact.Illinois’ roads, rail and waterways ensure reliable, energy-

efficient soybean delivery to global soybean markets.

Customer Needs

AquacultureWith global demand increasing, the oceans can meet only about 60 percent of the demand for fish products. Aquaculture is being used to help close that gap. But fish farming can have unexpected impacts on ocean fish, because small ocean fish are routinely used as aquaculture feed, further disrupting an already pressured ocean ecosystem. As a result of U.S. farmer outreach programs, aquaculture production can increase significantly and further reduce pressure on ocean fisheries. In India, for example, rohu carp that were fed diets of 46 to 52 percent soy in their rations produced more than three times the yield achieved by using traditional methods. In Vietnam, Red Drum cultured in soy-fed cages had an 85 percent better growth rate than Red Drum fed small ocean fish. In China, the feed conversion ratio of soy-based feed is up to 250 percent lower than traditional feeds used in China.

PoultryIllinois soybeans help poultry operations around the globe improve feed conversion efficiency. The results of numerous studies showed that producers can save between 10 percent and 50 percent on their meal purchases when using dehulled U.S. soybean meal.

SwinePork producers throughout the world have found that soybean meal greatly improves their animal’s feed conversion efficiency. Research shows that some global customers can save 10 to 16 percent on their soybean meal purchases by using U.S. dehulled meal.

A commitment to the future. What we’re doing now clearly affects the future. There are profound challenges right in front of us, as well as down the road. By remaining committed to sustainability, we’ll find new ways to improve productivity, reduce impact and increase social benefits as we have in the past. Illinois soybean farmers have generations of family commitment to sustainability—and we plan to share that commitment with generations to come.

“For me, sustainability means doing what’s right for our family, our land and our community. It’s always been that way on my farm. In some ways, the marketplace is catching up to soybean farmers by asking for improvements we’ve been making all along. At the same time, the world faces serious future challenges to feed people—and that’s why we’re continually making improvements to make sure supply keeps pace with demand in the future as it has in the past.”

—Don Guinnip, Marshall, Illinois

ISA is drawing ideas from numerous organizations to achieve its sustainability goals and looking at

other global efforts for responsible soy production.Natural Resources Conservation Service

Keep it for the Crop

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Federal Grain Inspection Service

Conservation Tillage Information Center

Sustainability Consortium

International Soy Growers Alliance

National Initiative for Sustainable Agriculture

National Sustainable Soybean Initiative

Keystone Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture

International Sustainability and Carbon Certification

Illinois Council on Best Management Practices

Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association

The Basel Criteria for Responsible Soy Production

American National Standards Institute

Sustainable Commodity Initiative of the International Institute for Sustainable Development

Round Table on Responsible Soy Association

Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education

Document Size // Flat 16”x8” Folded 8”x8” Bleed Size: 16.25” x 8.25” 4C

Funded by the Illinois soybean checkoff.

© 2012 Illinois Soybean Association. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

www.ilsoy.org

ISA-br01-0212

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IllInoIs soy - ILSoyAdvisor · Illinois State University, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, University of Illinois and Western Illinois University. Ag in the Classroom Illinois