U.S. soybean farmers are committed to providing high quality protein in a sustainable way. Through soil and water conservation, crop rotation, and carbon net neutrality goals, U.S. soybean farmers are growing nutritious foods while being good stewards of our planet. They are aiming to meet U.S. sustainability guidelines to grow 70% more food by 2050 to feed our increasing global population.

Soybeans are considered one of the world’s staple crops, and soybean production exceeds that of all other legumes combined by four times. In terms of meeting global food needs in a sustainable way, soybeans and other legumes symbiotically fix atmospheric nitrogen, which reduces the need for additional fertilizer inputs. When it comes to providing high quality protein sustainably, the greenhouse gas emissions per unit protein of soy is lower than nearly all other foods, and U.S. soybean farmers continue to improve their on-farm efficiency to reduce their impact on the environment.

Learn more about soybean production from U.S. soybean farmer Wendy Yeager. She shared insights into agricultural practices and the technology she uses to produce protein-packed soy while preserving natural resources in Alabama.

Explore the sustainability of U.S. Soy

Crop Protectants and Pesticides

Farmers encounter numerous challenges in their fields, including weeds, pests, and diseases. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), annual harvest losses can reach up to 40% due to these factors, and this figure could potentially double in the absence of crop protection measures. Utilizing pesticides is an effective strategy to mitigate food waste during production. Pesticides serve as one tool for farmers, complementing other widely adopted and effective practices such as cover cropping, tilling, crop rotation, and timely planting.
Pesticide residues on food are very low if present at all. Residues are measurable traces of pesticides on harvested food crops like apples, lettuce, and corn. The Pesticide Data Program (PDP) is a national pesticide residue monitoring program and produces the most comprehensive pesticide residue database in the U.S. This Annual Summary report shows that when pesticide residues are found on foods, more than 99% of the products sampled had residues below the tolerance or maximum amount of a pesticide allowed to remain in or on a food, that is set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The PDP provides high-quality, nationally representative pesticide residue data that contribute to the information available to help ensure consumer confidence in the foods they provide to their families.
To put it all in perspective, according to the pesticide residue calculator, a woman could consume 453 servings of strawberries in one day without any effect, even if the strawberries have the highest pesticide residue recorded for strawberries by the USDA.
Below are resources that address common inquiries regarding pesticides and GMOs.

Pesticides:

Assessing the Safety of Pesticides in Food: How Current Regulations Protect Human Health

Pesticide Facts | Everything You Need to Know About Pesticides

Pesticide FAQs | Crop Protection & Science | CropLife America

Crop Protection & Pesticides | Bayer Global

GMOs:

Resources – Alliance for Science 

GMO Answers | GMO Facts – Everything to Know About GMOs Agricultural Biotechnology | FDA

Additional resources