INVESTING CHECKOFF DOLLARS
streams for soybean oil.” Industrial, non-biodiesel use of soybean oil in the U.S. increased more than 50 percent in the last decade, according to USB. American industries consumed 127-millionbushel equivalents of soybean oil in the 2016/17 marketing year. More than 250 companies annually confirm with USB that they incorporate soy ingredients — more than 1,000 products have been verified as soy-based. Checkoff dollars have helped commercialize more than 150 soy-based products in recent years. “USB is like an incubator, helping new products get off the ground,” Walton explains. “Without the investment of soybean farmers’ checkoff dollars, it would be tough for some of these innovative ideas to come to fruition.” Following are a handful of products that are on the market and paying off:
Supporting soles According to a Georgia-based shoe company, less than 1 percent of shoes worn in the U.S. today are made in America. Okabashi, one of the remaining 2 percent of shoe manufacturers still operating
domestically, uses materials sourced in the U.S., including soybean oil. The company says soybean oil is the perfect fit because it helps the product meet all of its specifications, including softness to strength, and U.S. soybeans are abundantly available at the right price.
Sweeping the flooring industry When the U.S. Green Building Council pressured woodproduct manufacturers to reduce formaldehyde emissions, Columbia Forest Products (CFP) took a proactive approach. They attended a USB Technical Advisory Panel (TAP) meeting, adopted woodglue technology from a checkoffsupported project and converted mills to incorporate soy-based glue in the production of PureBond™ panels. They are now sold in home improvement stores for interior applications. CFP has produced and sold more than 50 million PureBond panels.
Hitting the road Each year, more products used on the road — and on the farm — are made using U.S. soybeans. Today, at least 20 pounds of soy foam is built
into each of the 3 million vehicles Ford manufactures in North America. Goodyear’s Assurance WeatherReady tire — partially made with soybean oil — is offered in a wide range of sizes, covering 77 percent of cars, minivans and SUVs on the road today. John Deere estimates they use 2 million pounds of Envirez soybased, sheet-molding compound in its HarvestForm™ tractor and combine body panels annually.
Paving the way RePLAY® Agricultural Oil Seal and Preservation Agent, a bio-based sealant that contains a minimum 61 percent soybean oil and derivatives, penetrates asphalt and helps reverse the oxidation process on or below the surface. It also helps repair surface hairline cracks. RePLAY has been used as a sealant on approximately 118,000 lane miles in Minnesota. The product uses about 100 bushels of soybeans per lane mile. RePLAY extends the life of asphalt surfaces, and reduces labor costs and road closures during application. It also eliminates the harmful fumes of petroleum products used for road maintenance. Contact Lauren Houska at lhouska@iasoybeans.com.
Jeff Frank, Iowa Soybean Association director from Auburn, fills the planter bin with seeds while planting his soybean crop last year. There are more and more valuable products being made from the soybeans grown by Iowa farmers.
FEBRUARY 2019 | IASOYBEANS.COM | 13
