New York’s soybean acres pale in comparison to the “I” states of Iowa, Illinois and Indiana, or even Ohio and Michigan. But there are unique advantages to growing soybeans in the Northeast.

Ralph Lott, a grower from Seneca Falls, N.Y., found that out this past summer when he traveled a few hours from his home farm to New York City to show off products made of soybeans to schoolchildren. This close access to people enables him to see firsthand what people think of soybean shoes, soybean-based synthetic grass and other products made from the “wonder bean.”

Considering that he was just elected chairman of the United Soybean Board, the organization that handles soybean checkoff dollars, other board members see his close access to consumers as a big plus.

“We have population there [New York], and we have votes in Congress. Not that USB can influence any of those votes, but we still represent where the populations are and they need to know what we're doing out there,” Lott says. “And when New York can do something and we can take it to New York City, Syracuse or Albany and prove to the people, the population, that soybeans are a really good thing for people in this country, that's what we can do.”

Lott will lead the 78-member board that handles the National Soybean Checkoff program. The checkoff is funded by soybean growers who contribute 0.5% of the total sale price of their soybeans to the checkoff fund. Half of the checkoff contributions goes to the national board, while the remainder goes to qualified state soybean boards.

Lott farms 3,500 acres in and around Seneca Falls, and has been no-till since 1986. He grows 1,500 acres of corn and 1,700 acres of soybeans with smaller acreage of wheat that’s grown before double-crop beans.

He’s been a member of the United Soybean Board for nine years, and 2022 will be his last, so he will only serve one year as chairman.

Still, he hopes to make a big impact.

“We're doing a brand-new five-year strategic plan, so that's the first thing," Lott says. “And more importantly, we are changing the process of looking at projects to benefit farmers.”

The board historically approves research projects in June to align with its fiscal year, but Lott says the timing was inconvenient for most board members. Projects will now be approved in February before the next growing season gets started.

"Hopefully, it will make a whole better deal for everybody,” he says. “The farmers just never had a lot of time in June because there’s a ton of reading. We're looking at 80 to 100 projects every year, and for the farmers to sit down and read those projects and really get to where they thoroughly understand them and be able to ask questions to staff, we've moved that up until February here so we're thinking were going to be a whole lot better off with that. Most farmers have free time in February to do the good job of getting good projects that benefit the soy checkoff.”

The board approved 181 new checkoff-funded projects — from a total budget allocation of $78 million — for the fiscal year that runs from Oct. 1, 2021, to Sept. 30, 2022. Paul Murphy-Spooner, spokesman for the board, says that 94% of the board’s total budget goes to program investments. The remainder covers USDA Agricultural Marketing Service oversight, audit and evaluation, and administrative costs.

Along with these projects, Lott says the board is also working on funding additional projects covering infrastructure, broadband, promotions and more through monies from past research projects that didn’t go to fruition or were stopped.

“We feel it is the duty of the board to spend this. It’s checkoff money farmers gave to use to be used to make things better for soybeans,” he says, adding that board members will also have the ability to see the results of projects they have funded in the past.

“We need to look at all these projects, and hopefully a high percentage will make it through and benefit soybean farmers,” Lott says.

Second-best growing season

The average soybean yield in New York state broke a record in 2021. Lott says his soybeans averaged 62 bushels per acre, the second-best ever. It was a good harvest with some wet spots, he says, but all of the soybeans are in the bin.

Now, he is looking to 2022 with some big changes. A soybean processor 8 miles from his farm is processing high-oleic Plenish beans for the first time in 2022. Lott says he’ll be growing 50% high-oleic soybeans next year. He calls them the future of soybean growing, and they will open up more markets for soybean oil to consumers.

“Soybeans are made for meal for feed or oil, and oil is taking the lead,” he says. “It can be used for renewable diesel, other things. The oil is really in the driver’s seat and we’re in a good position, I feel, for the next couple of years.”