Soybeans!!!

Soybean History -700 B.C.: first cultivated in China -late 1700’s: soybeans reached the U.S. -1920’s: soybeans developed as an oil crop -1940’s: begin of rapid growth of soybean as a major grain crop. -1970’s: soybeans become a major part of crop rotation

Soybean Facts -first used a forage and grazing crop in the U.S. -Scientific name: Glycine max -One of the four traditional grains: -soybeans, wheat, rice, and sorghum -Very high in protein and oil, low in starch -A legume, meaning: Can fixate nitrogen from the atmosphere and put it into the soil -Soybeans are the #1 oil crop in the world and U.S.

-Contains 20% oil and 40% protein -Common soybean uses: -protein supplement for livestock -tofu and soy milk for human consumption -medicine and placebo -soy ink for printing -surfactant for soaps -soy lecithin for mixing food products -vegetable oil for cooking -Other oil crops: peanuts, sunflower, canola, palm, olives, corn (ethanol)

World Soybean Production rankings #1 U.S.A. 50% of world’s soybeans #2 Brazil 20% of world’s soybeans China 10% of world’s soybeans (not exported) #3 #4 Argentina 9% of world’s soybeans

U.S. production rankings #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 Illinois Iowa Minnesota Indiana Ohio