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Growth of specialty varieties a hot topic at Illinois Soybean Summit

Interest in specialty soybean varieties, like non-GMO and high oleic, is expected to grow this season.

Central Illinois farmer Brett Haas says they’ve been planting non-GMO soybeans in some capacity the last 15 years, but based on market access and successful yields, “We actually made the decision for 2023 to plant 100% of our soybean acres to non-GMO.”

Bryan Stobaugh with the Missouri Soybean Association tells Brownfield they project 1.3 million acre of high oleic soybeans will be planted in the US this year and 10% of that or 135,000 acres will be their non-GMO variety Soyleic.

“USDA always estimates that non-GMO acres are usually less than 6%. So, if we can hit 10% of a portfolio with a non-GMO it would be a huge win.”

Opportunities to capture value added returns from these varieties was focus at the 2023 Illinois Soybean Summit in Champaign on Thursday.