Soy What? Soybean Fun Facts

Soybeans have grown in familiarity with the rise of edamame and vegetarian-friendly soy products, but here are a few interesting facts about soybeans you might not know:

• One acre of soybeans can produce 82,368 crayons.
• Soybean oil provides an environmentally friendly fuel for diesel engines.
• During the Civil War, soybeans were used in place of coffee because real coffee was scarce.
• 98 percent of the soybean and livestock farms in the country are still family farms.
• U.S. farmers first grew soybeans as cattle feed.
• 45 percent of the world’s soybean acreage and 55 percent of production is in the United States.
• Soy ink is used to print newspapers and textbooks.
• Soybean is used in plastics, wood adhesives and textiles.
• Soybeans also find their way into candles, cleaning products and hair-care products.
• The soybean is the highest natural source of dietary fiber.
• Farmers across the U.S. grow soybeans that have been harvested into yields of about 2 billion bushels a year.
• About half of U.S. soybeans are exported to major markets including Europe, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico and South Korea.
• More soybeans are grown in the United States than anywhere else in the world.