Organic soybeans may be a very lucrative crop for Iowa farmers. Learn about the market, land preparation, planting and weed management, and the harvest and subsequent crops.
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2003
G R O W I N G
Organic Soybeans
O N
C O N S E R V A T I O N
Before entering
R E S E R V E
P R O G R A M
L A N D
Organic Soybeans Have Proven Market Value
the organic
O
soybean arena,
Organic soybeans can be a very lucrative crop for Iowa farmers. Before entering
farmers should
the organic soybean arena, farmers should first become schooled in the history,
first become
schooled in
the history,
philosophies, legalities, and markets of organic agriculture in general. A brief
overview of organic agriculture follows; for further details, see Iowa State
philosophies,
legalities, and
markets of
University Extension publication Organic Agriculture (PM 1880).
organic agriculture
in general.
USDA NRCS
Food-grade clear-hilum
soybeans command the
highest organic premium.
PM 1881 August 2003
G R O W I N G
Organic Soybeans
O N
C O N S E R V A T I O N
R E S E R V E
What Is Organic Agriculture?
P R O G R A M
L A N D
The Market
H
I
In order to sell your crop as certified organic, you
must be certified by one of the agencies approved
by the USDA National Organic Program (NOP). A
list of agencies in Iowa is provided in Organic
Agriculture (PM 1880) *. The NOP requirements
include the following:
How can organic soybeans
be marketed? The majority
of organic soybeans are
Farmers have
used for tofu and other soy
products in the United
reported increased
States and exported to
production as the
Japan and other countries.
Food-grade soybeans are
farm progresses
clear-hilum beans (no
from conventionally
black mark on the seed).
Other organic markets
farmed land.
include soybeans for organSoil health improves
ic livestock feed and for oil
or lecithin processing.
and beneficial insect
The Iowa Department
populations become
of Agriculture and Land
Stewardship Directory of
more numberous
Iowa Organic Producers,
once pesticide
Buyers, and Processors
handbook contains a list of
applications cease.
buyers of organic grains.
Check with buyers to learn
their contract prices. (Contracts based on acreage
[regardless of yields] vs. bushels provide growers
the greatest flexibility.) Farmers have reported
increased production as the farm progresses from
conventionally-farmed land to organically-farmed
land. Soil health improves and beneficial insect
populations become more numerous once pesticide
applications cease.
Over a four-year period in Iowa, average
organic soybean yields ranged from 25 bushels/
acre to 56 bushels/acre. From 1998–2001, prices
ranged from $12/bushel to $20/bushel (see variety
selection under Land Preparation) for certified
organic soybeans, depending on variety and
condition of seed.
• No synthetic fertilizers for 36 months prior to
the crop’s harvest.
• No synthetic pesticides (e.g., fungicides,
insecticides, herbicides) for 36 months prior to
the crop’s harvest.
• Crop rotations, including a soil-building legume
or small grain/legume mix should be planted,
to help break weed, insect, and disease cycles
and maintain soil fertility.
• No synthetic hormones or antibiotics for
livestock may be used, and organic feeds and
pastures/hay must be fed.
Soil fertility in organic systems is maintained
through crop rotations (for example, soybeans-oatsalfalfa-corn or some variation of this system),
applications of manure (manure from non-organic
farms must be composted before application or
applied 3 months prior to an agronomic crop
harvest), and/or applications of seaweed, fish
emulsion, or plant/animal-based products, such as
feathermeal. Soybeans fix nitrogen for the crop
needs, and can be grown without compost or
manure, unless phosphorus levels are deficient. Soil
testing is recommended to determine the need for
supplemental amendments (see below). Subsequent
crops must include rotations of grain crops and
nitrogen-adding cover crops to maintain adequate
fertility for future soybean crops. Sample the soil in
at least four places per acre to determine if lime is
needed to adjust the pH (to a pH of 6.5–7.0). Any
ISU Extension county office can provide soil sample
information and names of labs.
*See page 8 for ordering instructions.
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K. DELATE
Many organic farmers plant a cover crop of winter rye on
ridges or tilled CRP land prior to their soybean crop to assist
in erosion and weed prevention.
USDA NRCS
In the event of delayed
rye planting (past October
is generally not feasible),
Pasture grasses
plowing is still recommended to kill grasses and
and legumes
legumes. In the spring,
in the CRP land
additional tillage will be
needed to prepare a seed
must be adequately
bed and kill any remaining
degraded before
vegetation before planting. A field cultivator may
planting soybeans.
prove adequate for these
operations, or a disk may
be needed if plants are
more robust or soil is cloddy. The soil should be relatively smooth and friable
before planting to allow good seed-to-soil contact.
Planting populations depend on the soybean variety
planted, but seeding rates generally range from
175,000 to 225,000 seeds per acre to provide quick
in-row shading and weed management. Again,
check with buyers; some require large-seeded soybeans (e.g., Vintons), and others prefer smaller
sizes (e.g., Pioneer 9305 or ISU varieties) with higher seeding rates.
Seeding rates of 175,000 to 225,000 seeds per acre provide
quick in-row shading and weed management.
Land Preparation
C
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) land must
be adequately prepared for organic soybean
production. Pasture grasses and legumes in the
CRP land must be adequately degraded before
planting soybeans. To be sure CRP plants are
degraded, organic farmers often moldboard plow in
the fall and plant a cover crop of winter rye to help
control erosion, aid weed control (the rye deters
weed establishment), and provide some organic
matter when turned under in the spring.
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G R O W I N G
Organic Soybeans
R E S E R V E
P R O G R A M
L A N D
K. DELATE
C O N S E R V A T I O N
K. DELATE
O N
Early weed management is essential in preventing problems
later in the season.
Row cultivators are used two to three times to control
weeds between rows.
days, hoe again a little
faster (7–9 mph) to enhance
surface aggressiveness.
Weed control
Check the hoe’s penetration, weed kill, and crop
is the most
response to determine
critical element
optimal speed and depth.
Row cultivation can begin
of organic soybean
as soon as soybeans reach
production.
an adequate size to withstand soil around the base
of the plant. In midgrowing season, when the
plants are flowering,
cultivate again at a faster speed to throw about 1″
of soil up around plants. The last cultivation should
be slow (5 mph). Organic farmers use a variety of
cultivator additions, including guidance mirrors,
disk hillers, metal tent shields, and sweeps configurations (e.g., 26-inch one-piece sweeps in 36-inch
row spacings). The USDA Sustainable Agriculture
and Research Education (SARE) Sustainable
Agriculture Network can provide details on
cultivators and recommended tillage operations in
the book, Steel in the Field (EDC 125).
Planting and Weed Management
F
Field cultivators will kill most rye cover crops
between 6″ and 8″, using harrow attachments to
bring residue to the surface. Taller rye can be cut
with a stalk chopper or mowed first to aid in plant
degradation. Cultivate again about a week after
first tillage operations to kill germinating weed
seeds that have developed as a result of soil
disturbance. Plant soybeans at least 1″ deep when
the soil has reached temperatures of 50° F. Some
organic farmers believe that adequate soil temperature is key to a successful crop and may delay
planting their soybean crop until June when soils
are warmer, and bean leaf beetles have colonized
other earlier-planted fields. Past June 1, a decrease
in yields may be anticipated, however.
Weed control is the most critical element of
organic soybean production. Tillage operations
require planning and precise timing. Three to five
days after planting (depending on weather conditions), rotary-hoe weeds at a slow speed (5 mph) for
good penetration. Once the soybeans have emerged
and are beyond the “crook” stage, at seven to 10
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USDA NRCS
Harvesting and storing
are important steps in
collecting a premium
price for organic soybeans.
Storage bins must be
free of other products and
used only for organic
soybeans. It is best to purAll certified organic
chase a separate storage
soybeans must be
bin for organic soybeans.
Methods to keep soybeans
separated from
dry in storage, such as
conventional soybeans.
fans or heaters, should be
installed. Moldy soybeans
Therefore, combines,
cannot be sold as food or
cleaners, and bins
feed. Buyers usually require samples from each
must be thoroughly
load. Clean-out soybeans
cleaned between
that are cracked, small, or
stained usually average
conventional and
10–15 percent of the load.
organic harvests.
These can be sold for
organic feed. There may
be a market for transitional soybeans (those in the
three-year transition phase between conventional
and organic). Buyers can provide information on
those markets.
Harvest and Subsequent Crops
Y
Your certification agency will provide specifications
on how organic farmers harvest, clean, and store
certified organic soybeans. All certified organic
soybeans must be separated from conventional
soybeans. Therefore, combines, cleaners, and bins
must be thoroughly cleaned between conventional
and organic harvests. This is particularly important
for farmers who hire operators or rent machinery.
When harvesting and storing clear-hilum
soybeans, it is essential that the soybeans be clean
and free of discoloring soil and/or weed seeds, such
as nightshade. Clean, whole soybeans will receive
the highest market price. There are various
methods to keep soybeans whole and as contaminant-free as possible during harvest. Methods
include using combines with dual rotating screens
and raised at least 6 inches above soil level; “dirt
guards” and smooth plates also help prevent
contamination. If fields are weedy, organic
farmers often delay harvest until a killing frost
destroys any remaining weeds. Staining in organic
soybeans can be helped through late planting and
variety selection.
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G R O W I N G
Organic Soybeans
C O N S E R V A T I O N
R E S E R V E
P R O G R A M
L A N D
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
O N
A minimum of three crops in a rotation is usually found on Iowa organic farms.
Some organic farmers follow their soybean
crop with corn, although the majority rotate to a
small grain following soybeans. If corn is selected,
oats may be planted for a winter cover. Oats can be
overseeded into soybean fields at leaf yellowing.
Freezing weather kills the oats, but stalks remain
on the surface to protect the soil from spring
erosion. Organic corn currently is priced at a
greater price premium than organic oats, but we
may see an increase in price of organic small grains
with the need for organic livestock feed increasing
around the world. If following organic soybeans
with small grains, soybean stubble is generally left
P
through the winter and
disked or field cultivated
in the spring prior to
planting small grains.
Rotations always will be
key in a properly functioning organic farm to help
break up insect, weed, and
disease cycles; thus, it is
best to plan for a minimum
three-year rotation if
growing organic soybeans
on CRP land.
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Rotations always
will be key in a
properly functioning
organic farm
to help break up
insect, weed,
and disease cycles.
References
Bowman, G. (ed.). 1997. Steel in the Field—A farmer’s
Rynk, R. 1992. On-Farm Composting Handbook. NRAES-
guide to weed management tools. Sustainable
54. Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering
Agriculture Network, USDA, National Agriculture
Service. Ithaca, NY.
Library, Beltsville, MD.
Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN). 1998. Managing
Delate, K., and C. Cambardella, 2000. Integrating organic
cover crops profitably. 2nd Edition. Sustainable
soybeans following CRP land. USDA-SARE Annual
Agriculture Network, USDA National Agriculture
Report, N.C. SARE, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE.
Library, Beltsville, MD.
IDALS (Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land
Stewardship). 2000. Iowa Organic Certification and
Organic Standards. Des Moines, IA.
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G R O W I N G
Organic Soybeans
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LEOPOLD CENTER
C O N S E R V A T I O N
R E S E R V E
P R O G R A M
Publications mentioned in this booklet can be ordered by
contacting any ISU Extension county office or the ISU
Extension Distribution Center at (515) 294-5247. There is a
charge, plus shipping and handling, for some publications.
This research project was partially funded by
the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture
at Iowa State University and the USDA-SARE
(Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education)
Program.
Prepared by Kathleen Delate, Iowa State University.
File: Agriculture 2
Edited by Jean McGuire, ISU Extension
Continuing Education & Communication Services.
. . . and justice for all
[A]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion,
age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status.
(Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Many materials can be made
available in alternative formats for ADA clients. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964.
Illustrated by Jane Lenahan.
Designed by Mary Sailer, Spring Valley Studio.
Some photos on the cover were provided courtesy of Iowa
State University College of Agriculture and the USDA-NRCS.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30,
1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Stanley R. Johnson,
director, Cooperative Extension Service, Iowa State University of Science and
Technology, Ames, Iowa.
For the latest on organic agriculture from Iowa State University
go to http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/organicag/.
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