
5 minute read
"It's Sustainably Soy"
It’s Sustainably Soy"
By Stephen Sostaric
The usefulness of soybeans beyond food has been known for decades. In fact, the 1930's saw famed industrialist Henry Ford work to develop and promote soybeans for a wide range of uses. He even went so far as to set up a soybean laboratory at Greenfield Village, his outdoor museum in Dearborn, Michigan. It was here that work was done that led to soy-based oils and plastics in Ford cars. By 1941 Ford had made a car with a body made of soy-based plastic, and Henry Ford himself even commissioned a suit made with soybean protein fibers. Unfortunately, the onset of World War II largely halted these advancements as war needs shifted priorities.
Fast forward to the 21st century, and a renewed drive to develop soy-based products that are sustainable, economically viable and quite literally homegrown. To encourage the adoption of these products, the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) has launched the “It’s Sustainably Soy” certification program. The goal of the program is to recognize organizations, construction firms, and executives for switching to sustainable soy in their construction and building projects.
Of course, as with any new product, there are many questions regarding the benefits of switching from traditional ones. The use of modern soy products yields not just environmental benefits, but economic ones as well.
The environmental benefits of soy- and bio-based construction materials are rooted in sustainable farming practices. Soybeans are a renewable resource, with an abundant crop returning each season. This eliminates the need for the extraction of finite resources like petroleum- and mineral-based products. Additionally, the use of soy-and bio-based products reduces the demand for petroleum-derived products. This makes for a more environmentally-friendly and sustainable construction industry and makes Illinois infrastructure more sustainable overall. Plus, being more sustainable is a selling point. “Consumers are increasingly seeking to do business with companies who align with their environmental values,” explains Todd Main, ISA Director of Market Development. “Having this certification helps strengthen companies sustainability initiatives and environmentally-friendly bona-fides.”
While environmental benefits are great, in these times of limited budgets the economic side must work as well. Organizations are finding that soy- and bio-based products are at parity with traditional products in both price and performance, meaning those organizations making the switch aren’t being forced to pay more for lower performance in the name of sustainability. Additionally, the products also support the agricultural economy of Illinois. Soy- and bio-based products use materials grown right here in Illinois, bringing home the economic benefits that were normally out-of-state or even overseas. “Being ’It’s Sustainably Soy’ Certified shows your support for the hardworking soybean farmers of Illinois and the state’s overall agricultural economy,” said Main. With nearly 23,000 jobs and almost $1.2 billion in wages linked to soybeans, the impact of increased usage on the agricultural economy of the state quickly becomes clear.
Knowing that certification programs like this often take a lot of time and effort to complete, ISA designed it for simplicity. Using ISA’s It’s Sustainably Soy Online Certification Portal, an applying organization can submit an application in less than five minutes.
A list of qualifying American-made products is maintained by the United Soybean Board (USB) through their Soy Biobased program. The products cover a wide range of applications, from building operations to cleaning supplies, construction, roads, office supplies, and even tires.
This program stemmed from federal legislation in 2002 calling for the federal government to buy biobased products. It was this purchasing that began the expansion of biobased product across all sectors.
The 2008 Farm Bill took the initial policy from 2002 and expanded the federal government’s biobased products program. It also provided a definition of a biobased product: “a product determined by the Secretary of Agriculture to be a commercial or industrial product (other than food or feed) that is composed, in whole or in significant part, of biological products, including renewable domestic agricultural materials and forestry materials; or an intermediate ingredient or feedstock.” With this definition, biobased products made from soybeans fit the bill.
Using this list from USB, an applicant simply completes the fields on the online form. Applicants are asked to include a summary of the project, which products they plan to use (and what traditional products are being replaced), manufacturer information, and why they chose a soy-based alternative project. Once received, the application is evaluated by an internal team of reviewers at ISA. If the project is certified, applicants will receive an “It’s Sustainably Soy Certification Toolkit” to help them spread the word both inside and outside their organizations.
With the It’s Sustainably Soy certification program, the Illinois Soybean Association is looking to spread the word about all the things that soy can do while also making the projects companies, governments, and other stakeholders more sustainable. This program also helps carry forward the sustainability story that Illinois soybean farmers have been living for years while supporting the industry and helping to sustain, expand, and secure it for the future.
To learn more and get your project certified, please visit www.ilsoy.org/itssustainably-soy.