When buying Illinois-grown soybeans, customers need direct access to organizations and specific individuals in the industry with which they can do business.
The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) provides easy connections to the state’s supply chain that has fed their continued demand for consistent, high-quality soybeans.
A Soybean Leader
Illinois led the United States in soybean production in 2014 for the second year in a row. The state’s central location and access to multiple transportation modes helped the ISA move soybeans quickly and efficiently across the area and around the globe.
All seven Class-I freight railroads operate in Illinois, which also has more than 1,100 miles of navigable inland waterways, while only two states have more miles of interstate highway. The state also leads containerized soybean shipments, with eight percent of its soybeans leaving in containers. That number is predicted to increase.
Consistent Quality
Since 2012, the ISA has been measuring protein and oil levels throughout the state. In 2014, the ISA was measuring quality down to the local county level.
The ISA is also developing a first-of-its-kind pilot program to work with seed companies to increase protein and oil levels in its beans as another way to provide the value customers have been demanding.
A Smart Business Decision
The ISA has helped connect customers to the growers, processors and shippers that provided them with the consistent, reliable and high-quality soybean deliveries they have come to expect from Illinois.
- Originally prepared by Global Media for The Japan Times Special Report on the U.S. Midwest 2014 (Credit: Philippe Le Saux, Angelo Romualdez, Elizabeth Arcega and Brian Banta)
