 I. Soybeans originated from East Asia. Written records from 2838 B.C. by Chinese Emperor Sheng-Nung mention the cultivation of soybean. Over time, soybean cultivation spread to Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Burma, Nepal, and India. Soybeans were brought to the United States in the early 1800s as ship ballast. In 1879, a few farmers began to plant soybeans for use as forage for livestock.

 A. In 1904, American Chemist George Washington Carver discovered that soybeans were an excellent source of protein and oil. With his encouragement, farmers began to rotate their crops with soybeans. In 1927, he invented a process for producing paints and stains from soybeans.

 B. A.E. Staley saw great potential of the soybean as a source of oil, meal, and flour. In 1922, the A.E. Staley Manufacturing Company began crushing soybeans to yield oil and meal. He promoted soybeans when there was little production on a national scale.

 C. Henry Ford believed that soybeans could be used for many purposes. In 1930, he had a soybean experimental laboratory built in Greenfield Village, Michigan. His goals were to find uses for soybeans in the industrial world. Ford’s effort led to soy-based plastic car panels, soy milk, ice cream, and all-vegetable non-dairy whipped topping.

 II. The soybean, Glycine max, is the cultivated soybean. In fact, it only grows under cultivation. A relative is Glycine soja, which is a wild species. Both species are annual plants. There are at least 16 wild perennial soybean species with varying nutritional contents and uses.

 A. Glycine max is a legume. A legume is a plant that can fix nitrogen from the air in the soil. Soybeans are photoperiodic and thermoperiodic, meaning flower initiation occurs with the change of day lengths and temperatures. As short-day plants, soybeans flower naturally as the days become shorter in late summer.

 B. Soybean cultivars are classified according to their use. These classifications include commercial or seed, forage, and vegetable. Like corn, soybeans are one of the most important crops grown in the United States. Soybeans are oil crops. Oil crops are plants grown to produce vegetable oil from their seed or fruit. Soybeans have many human, agricultural, and industrial uses.

 1. Soybean oil is a widely used vegetable oil. Soybean oil consists of 15 percent saturated fats, 24 percent monounsaturated fats, and 61 percent polyunsaturated fats. Soybean oil contains natural antioxidants that help to prevent oxidative rancidity or the decomposition of fat. Soybean oil is used in cooking, salad dressings, vegetable oil, margarine, and shortening.

 2. Soybeans are generally considered a source of complete protein. A complete protein is one that contains significant amounts of all the essential amino acids for the human body. For this reason, soy is a good source of protein for vegetarians and for people who cannot afford meat. Soybeans are used in a variety of forms. Soy products are popular with health conscious people because soybean meal contains twice the protein of beef and fish. Soybean products that can be found on many grocery store shelves include soy milk, soy yogurt, soy hot dogs, and soy cheese. Soybean byproducts are used in salad dressings, margarine, cocoa, chocolate, candies, and flour.

 3. Animals also benefit from soybeans and soybean byproducts. Soybean oil meal, soybean oil cake, and soybean meal can be used as sources of protein in animal feeds.

 4. Soybeans, or certain parts of soybeans, are used in a number of industrial products. Personal products (e.g., soap, lotion, and creams) made from soybeans are increasing in popularity. Household items (e.g., linoleum, candles, plastics, paints, and adhesives) may also include soybeans. Soybeans can also be used to produce insecticides, printing ink, and lubricants.

 III. The soybean is an annual dicot plant.  A. Cultivated varieties are generally bushy plants. However, some varieties have prostate or vine growth habits. Some soybean varieties grow up to 5 or 6 feet in height. The leaves, stems, and pods are covered with fine brown or gray hairs referred to as pubescence.

 B. The first true leaves that form at the first node are unifoliate, meaning they have one leaf blade. Mature leaves are trifoliolate, meaning they have three leaflets. The leaflets are broadly ovate or oval in shape, and the leaves fall before the seeds are mature.

 C. The flowers are borne in the axils of the leaves and are white, pink, or purple. They are small and inconspicuous. Soybeans are self-fertile.  D. The fruit is a pod. Pods that are 1 to 3 inches in length grow in clusters of 3 to 5. Each pod contains 2 to 4 seeds.

 IV. Processed soybeans are the largest source of protein feed and vegetable oil in the world. One bushel of soybeans is equal to 60 pounds. One bushel typically produces 11 pounds of oil, 43 pounds of meal, 4.2 pounds of hulls, and 1.8 pounds of other matter. Soybean production is important on national and international levels.

 A. The United States is the world’s leading soybean producer and exporter. Soybeans compose approximately 90 percent of the total oilseed production in the United States. Cottonseed, sunflower seed, and peanuts account for the remainder.

 B. The top soybean producing countries are the following: (1) the United States with 40 percent, (2) Brazil with 24 percent, and (3) Argentina with 18 percent.  C. Top producing states in 2007 were the following: (1) Iowa, (2) Illinois, (3) Minnesota, (4) Indiana, (5) Missouri, (6) Nebraska, and (7) Ohio.

 D. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, 43 percent of U.S. soybean production was exported as soybean and soybean products in The major export markets for U.S. oilseeds, oilseed meal, and vegetable oil are the following: (1) the European Union, (2) Japan, (3) Mexico, (4) China, and (5) Taiwan.