Production Blog

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (DTN) -- U.S. soybean harvest is underway, and farmers curious about the quality of their 2026 crop can receive a free analysis by submitting a 2-pound sample to the Annual Soybean Quality Survey, funded by the soy checkoff.

For the 41st consecutive season, the American Soybean Association (ASA), United Soybean Board (USB) and U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) are supporting a survey of the quality of the nation's soybean crop. The commodity organizations are encouraging growers to submit samples by Oct. 21, 2026.

In return for their participation, growers receive a personalized report on their crop's quality, including protein and oil content and other characteristics such as amino acid data. There is no cost to participate, and all individual results are kept strictly confidential. Only aggregated data appears in the final report.

"Every sample a farmer sends in makes our picture of U.S. soybean quality more complete," said Seth Naeve, University of Minnesota Extension agronomist and professor who leads the study, in a USB press release. "That information travels with our crop to customers around the world and helps them understand the real value of what American farmers grow."

According to USB, farmer participation in the quality survey supports USSEC in building international marketing programs. As the global marketplace grows more competitive, U.S. soy increasingly wins on value and quality rather than price alone, USB stated. Survey data gives buyers a clear, science-based picture of the protein, oil value and overall composition of the U.S. crop, and it helps ensure every growing region is represented at global buyers' conferences. When farmers include the seed company and variety with their sample, they also help researchers identify which varieties deliver the most value to international customers.

Farmers can request free survey kits online at: https://docs.google.com/…. Each kit includes instructions and a postage-paid sample bag. Simply scan the QR code on the bag to record information quickly and accurately.

While samples are accepted through mid-December, farmers are asked to send them by Oct. 21, 2026. Personalized results will be available by mid-December, and the full final report on the quality survey will be online in January 2027.

"Taking a few minutes to send in a sample is one of the easiest ways to invest in the reputation of U.S. soy," said Cindy Pulskamp, a USB farmer-leader from North Dakota, in a USB press release. "It costs nothing, and it helps every soybean farmer compete in markets here and abroad."

Naeve told DTN that if a farmer has already started harvesting, saving back a 2-pound soybean sample while they await the delivery of a survey kit is acceptable. According to the latest USDA Crop Progress Report, 6% of the nation's soybean crop had been harvested as of Sept. 13.

In 2025, nearly 1,300 samples were processed as part of the annual quality survey. More information about the Annual Soybean Quality Survey and access past reports is available at https://z.umn.edu/….

Jason Jenkins can be reached at jason.jenkins@dtn.com

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