About Soybeans in Kentucky

Soybean (Glycine max) crops are grown on about 1.3 million acres in Kentucky, generating over $1 billion. State average yields are over 50 bushels per acre and include both full season and double-crop soybean yields. Soybean meal is a high protein supplement for livestock, and soybean is gaining popularity in human diets as well. Renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel can be produced from soybean oil. About 60% of Kentucky soybeans are exported. Soybean originated in China where it has been grown as a food crop for centuries. Soybean was brought to the United States in the late 1800s or early 1900s, first as a forage crop. Farmers soon learned that growing soybean for seed was a much better option. Soybean gained in popularity in the United States around the 1940s and 1950s and is now the second-largest row crop (based on acreage) in the United States.

Resources

• Soybean Experts
• Kentucky Soybean Board/Kentucky Soybean Association
• Archived Reports

Soybean Crop Management

• Kentucky Soybean Performance Tests
• USDA Quickstats

Newsletters & Reports

• Corn & Soybean Newsletters
• Kentucky Pest News
• Soybean Research Report, 2023
• Soybean Research Report, 2022
• Soybean Research Report, 2021
• Soybean Research Report, 2020
• Soybean Research Report, 2019

Publications

• ID-249: Comprehensive Guide to Soybean Management in Kentucky
• ID-159: Corn and Soybean Production Calendar
• AGR-188: Estimating Soybean Yields
• AGR-182: Specialty Soybean Production and Management in Kentucky
• AGR-184: Predicting Soybean First Flowering Date
• AGR-101: No-Till Soybeans
• Kentucky Extension Yield Contest
• Science for Success Publications/Webinars
  • The Soybean Growth Cycle: Management and Misconceptions
  • The Best Soybean Planting Date
  • How to Pick the Right Soybean Row Spacing
  • Soybean Foliar Fertilizers
  • Soybean Replanting