About Soybeans in Kentucky

Soybean (Glycine max) crops are grown on about 1.9 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.