School is in session, and soybeans are playing a role. There are more than 1,000 different soy-based products on the market today, according to the United Soybean Board. A lot of these products are heading to school and the office with students and parents.
Wisconsin soybean grower Sara Stelter, a USB director, says she’s proud to grow such a versatile crop. She says soybeans are a sustainable alternative to plastics and petroleum.
“Any time there’s been petroleum used in products, it’s now being looked at being substituted with soybean oil at least in part,” she says. “Products that are being made with soybean oil tend to be more environmentally friendly.”
Products
- Biodiesel — Soy-based biodiesel helps buses and cars run cleaner.
- Crayons — Soy crayons are made with 85% soy oil.
- Shoes — Many Sketchers shoes are made of soy oil instead of petroleum oil.
- Ink — Ink made from soy can be found in pens.
- Tires — Soy oil in Goodyear tires helps improve performance in a variety of conditions.
Stelter adds that even carpeting and furniture can contain soybean oil.
“It’s not always labeled soy,” Stelter says of the products. “They might be labeled organic… sustainable or green or however you want to refer to it. But frequently, it is soy oil that is used in those products.”
These new markets for soybeans don’t just appear on their own. Soybean checkoff dollars paid by hardworking soybean farmers and a team at the United Soybean Board are developing these market opportunities.
Currently, the United Soybean Board is promoting SoyFoam — a PFAS-free firefighting foam. Learn more: https://www.midwestfarmreport.com/2024/03/23/checkoff-brings-together-firefighters-soybean-farmers/
