-Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is a major food crop. The bean is a native of Asia and has been cultivated for centuries in China and Japan. In the US, more than 83 million acres were planted in soybean. Total production is more that 3 billion bushels with more than 1.7 billion (56% of 2013 total US production) bushels exported to the world at an estimated value of $28 billion dollars. The crop is grown in the Midwest along the Mississippi River and along the Atlantic Seaboard from Florida to New York and as far north as Ontario, Canada. The bean is known by various names throughout the world such as soy, soya, and soy bean. Soybean can be allowed to mature and the pods and seed dried to 13% moisture for harvesting and processing for oil and meal. Soybean oil has many culinary uses and the de-fatted meal is also incorporated in many food and industrial processes. Soybean meal is also processed into many animal feeds including fish, pork, beef and chicken feeds.
+Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is a major food crop. The bean is a native of Asia and has been cultivated for centuries in China and Japan. In the US, more than 83 million acres were planted in soybean. Total production is more that 3 billion bushels with more than 1.7 billion (56% of 2013 total US production) bushels exported to the world at an estimated value of $28 billion dollars. The crop is grown in the Midwest along the Mississippi River and along the Atlantic Seaboard from Florida to New York and as far north as Ontario, Canada. The bean is known by various names throughout the world such as soy, soya, and soy bean. Soybean can be allowed to mature and the pods and seed dried to 13% moisture for harvesting and processing for oil and meal. Soybean oil has many culinary uses and the de-fatted meal is also incorporated in many food and industrial processes. Soybean meal is also processed into many animal feeds including fish, pork, beef and chicken feeds.