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Soybean

Soybean

Glycine max GRIN 17711

grainannual

Soybean (Glycine max) is a warm-season annual legume widely grown in Zones 3-9. As a nitrogen-fixing crop, it improves soil fertility and serves as an excellent rotation partner with corn and small grains. Average U.S. yields are approximately 50-53 bushels per acre, with grain used for animal feed, oil extraction, and direct human consumption including tofu and edamame.

20/30

Crop Snowflake Score

Gross Revenue
$541

/acre

Net Return
$91

/acre

Price Trend
declining
Establishment Cost
—

/acre

Crop Insurance
Available
Years to Production
1

years

Overview

Soybeans are classified by maturity group (MG), ranging from 000 (earliest, northern latitudes) to X (latest, tropical). Select maturity groups adapted to local latitude and growing season length. Inoculation with Bradyrhizobium japonicum is recommended when planting in fields without recent soybean history. Soybeans fix 50-60% of their nitrogen needs; additional N fertilization is generally not recommended and may suppress nodulation. Row spacing of 15 inches or less improves canopy closure and weed suppression. Soybeans are sensitive to photoperiod — short days trigger flowering. Harvest at 13% moisture for optimal storage. As a rotation crop, soybeans break pest and disease cycles of cereals and contribute 40-60 lbs N/acre credit to the following crop.

Growing Season

Plant
mid April – early June
Harvest
late September – late October
Frost-free days
100+
GDD (base 50°F)
1,700 – 2,200

Yield

Typical yield
3,180 lbs/acre
Productive lifespan
1 years
Years to full prod.
1
Labor
2.2 hrs/acre
100%

Market Fit

1/6

Active Regional Buyers

1 active buyer on record purchasing this crop.

Price Trend Stable/Up

3-year price trend recorded as "declining".

Supply Below Demand

Priced on national grain markets where supply is well established, leaving little regional headroom regardless of local channel strength (1 of 3 channels rate "strong").

Multiple Buyer Channels

1 of 3 documented market channels rate viable or better (wholesale). Thin — dependent on few outlets.

Value-Added Potential

0 viable direct-market channels. Limited direct-market routes; value chiefly captured at wholesale.

Market Growth Projected

Mature grain market; growth over a 5-year horizon is expected to track population rather than outpace it.

Market Channels

wholesale · Primary channel — grain elevator/commodity market. Price follows CBOT futures.
direct_to_consumer · Identity-preserved/specialty (non-GMO, organic, food-grade) soybeans command $1-3/bu premiums.
retail · On-farm feed use — roasted or processed for livestock feed, especially dairy and poultry.

Climate Fit

6/6

Hardiness Zone Match

Crop tolerates zones 3-9; region spans 5-6. Overlaps.

GDD Sufficient

Crop needs 1700 GDD (base 50F); region accumulates 2500+. Sufficient.

Precipitation Compatible

Crop needs ~20 in; region receives ~38 in/yr. Compatible, irrigation available as supplement.

Frost-Free Season OK

Crop needs 100 frost-free days; region provides ~180. Sufficient.

Chill Hours Met

Not applicable — annual crop has no winter chill requirement.

Climate Trend Favorable

Crop spans 7 hardiness zones (3-9). Wide adaptive range buffers against warming trend.

Fit by region

The farm matcher, run on each region's cited climate normals. Soil and site are not included here; add your own on the match page.

Match your farm
Finger Lakeszone 5b/6a · 2,200 GDD · 145 frost-free days · 38.29" rain

Limited by high-severity risks. 5 criteria evaluated; 40% cited.

Strong fit
89/100
Heat accumulation (GDD base 50F)Frost-free seasonRainfallHigh-severity risksKnown buyers
Lake Erie Concord Grape Beltzone 6a/6b/7a · 2,923 GDD · 185 frost-free days · 41.09" rain

Limited by high-severity risks. 5 criteria evaluated; 40% cited.

Strong fit
89/100
Heat accumulation (GDD base 50F)Frost-free seasonRainfallHigh-severity risksKnown buyers
Chautauqua Uplands (Allegheny Plateau)zone 6a · 2,364 GDD · 158 frost-free days · 45.93" rain

Limited by high-severity risks. 5 criteria evaluated; 40% cited.

Strong fit
89/100
Heat accumulation (GDD base 50F)Frost-free seasonRainfallHigh-severity risksKnown buyers

Climate envelope & site

What the farm matcher compares your conditions against.

Climate envelope

Hardiness zone
n/a
Frost-free season
100+ days
Heat (GDD base 50°F)
1,700+
Winter chill
n/a
Rainfall
23.6–70.9 in/yr

Below the minimum, irrigation is needed; above the maximum the crop fails.

Soil pH target
6.0–6.8

Extension lime target; within 1.0 of it is correctable.

Site & structure

Spring frost at bloom
n/a
Needs cold-air drainage
n/a
Shade tolerance
none — full sun
Mature height
not yet recorded
Rooting depth
not yet recorded
Wind exposure tolerance
not yet recorded
Workable slope
not yet recorded

Height, rooting depth and shade tolerance are the inputs an alley or guild layout needs.

Soil Compatibility

Soil Texture

loam (ideal)silt_loam (ideal)clay_loam (suitable)sandy_loam (suitable)clay (marginal)loamy_sand (suitable)sand (marginal)sandy_clay_loam (suitable)silty_clay (marginal)silty_clay_loam (suitable)

Drainage

well_drained (ideal)moderately_well_drained (suitable)poorly_drained (poor)excessively_drained (marginal)somewhat_excessively_drained (suitable)somewhat_poorly_drained (marginal)very_poorly_drained (poor)

Infrastructure Fit

5/6

Equipment Compatible

0 of 4 documented equipment items are crop-specific (0%) against a catalog median of 29%. Most needs are met by general row-crop or orchard equipment.

Storage Available

1 documented storage route; at least one (Grain bin (on-farm)) is reachable with conventional on-farm or third-party facilities.

Irrigation Compatible

Requires ~20 in. Deliverable with conventional drip or overhead irrigation.

Field Layout Suitable

Grain crops need large contiguous acreage to be economic; the region's parcels are typically small and fragmented by topography.

Labor Availability

8 labor hr/ac vs catalog 75th percentile 250 hr/ac. Manageable with typical farm labor.

Processing Proximity

1 processor/cooperative buyer on record for this crop, 1 within NY/PA/OH.

Equipment Requirements

planting

Grain drill or row crop planterRequired

Grain drill for narrow rows (7.5-15") or planter for 30" rows.

harvesting

Combine with flex/draper headerRequired

Flex header critical for low-set pods. Adjust cylinder speed to minimize seed damage.

Grain cart and trucksRequired

In-field grain transfer and transport to storage or market.

spraying

Boom sprayer (60-90 ft)Required

Herbicide, fungicide, insecticide application.

Storage Requirements

Grain bin (on-farm)

Temperature

35–50°F

Max Storage

365 days

Financial Return

4/6

Revenue Above Average

Gross revenue $613/ac vs catalog median $6,000/ac. Below median.

Input Costs Acceptable

Total input cost $480/ac vs catalog 75th percentile $6,300/ac. Within typical range.

Payback Period OK

Reaches full production in 1 year. Acceptable payback.

Insurance Available

Federal crop insurance or an equivalent risk product is available.

Revenue Per Labor Hour

Net return per labor hour $16.63 ($133/ac over 8 hr/ac) vs catalog median $13.16. Above median.

Grants/Subsidies

No specialty-crop or cover-crop incentive program identified for this grain crop.

Economics Breakdown

Avg Price/Unit$10/$/bu
Gross Revenue/Acre$541
Annual Operating Cost—/acre
Establishment Cost—/acre
Total Input Cost$450/acre
Net Return/Acre$91
Revenue/Labor Hour—
Crop Insurance Available
SubsidiesARC-CO, PLC

Source: USDA NASS 2025 Crop Production Summary, USDA ERS, regional extension budgets (2025)

Risk Profile

4/6

Manageable Pest/Disease

4 of 5 documented risks are high-severity (80%) against a catalog median of 36%. Above-median concentration of high-severity risk, demanding intensive management.

Market Diversified

1 viable market channel of 3 documented, plus 1 named buyer. Concentrated — losing one outlet would strand the crop.

Low Establishment Risk

1 year to full production. Low establishment exposure.

Climate Resilient

Tolerates zones 3-9 (7 zones). Broad tolerance indicates resilience to seasonal variability.

Regulatory Burden Low

No crop-specific licensing or reporting regime beyond standard food-safety and pesticide rules.

Diversifies Portfolio

Adds a grain revenue stream distinct from the region's grape-dominated base.

Known Risks

disease

Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN)high

Most damaging soybean pathogen. Causes stunting and yield loss, often without visible above-ground symptoms.

Phytophthora Root Rothigh

Oomycete favored by saturated soils. Causes damping-off and root/stem rot.

Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS)high

Fusarium virguliforme causing interveinal chlorosis/necrosis, root rot, premature defoliation.

pest

Soybean Aphidmoderate

Colonizes growing points and leaf undersides. Economic threshold: 250 aphids/plant with increasing population.

weather

Drought Stress (R1-R6)high

Most sensitive during flowering and pod fill. Drought during R3-R5 can reduce yields 40%+.

Nutritional Yield

USDA FoodData Central
Profile based on Soybeans, mature seeds, raw (dry_seed form)
Edible mass per acre1,442 kg
Computed: 3,180 lbs × 0.45 kg/unit × 100% edible

Macronutrients

NutrientPer 100 gPer acre
Calories446 kcal6,433,176 kcal
Protein36.5 g526,338 g
Total fat19.9 g287,618 g
Carbohydrates30.2 g435,033 g
Fiber9.3 g134,145 g
Sugar7.3 g105,729 g

Key micronutrients

Iron
15.7 mg /100g
226,459 mg / acre
Calcium
277 mg /100g
3,995,493 mg / acre
Potassium
1,797 mg /100g
25,920,219 mg / acre
Vitamin C
6 mg /100g
86,545 mg / acre
Vitamin A
22 IU /100g
317,332 IU / acre
Folate
375 mcg /100g
5,409,061 mcg / acre

Uncertainty: Per-acre values are estimates that compound the yield range, edible-fraction assumption, and a single representative nutrient panel. Treat them as order-of-magnitude planning numbers, not nutritional advice. Confidence: high.

Ecosystem Services

Pest suppression

  • Non-host break in the corn rootworm life cycle
    high

    Rotating to soybean removes the host plant corn rootworm larvae depend on, and NDSU rates crop rotation as the single most effective management tool for the pest.

    Applies when: soybean grown the year following corn
    Evidence: Extension guidance·Confidence: high

Soil nitrogen

  • Nitrogen credit to the following crop (~30–45 lb N/acre)
    moderate

    Corn following soybean needs less fertilizer nitrogen than continuous corn, and extension services in the region publish a credit of roughly 30–45 lb N/acre. The credit is not a net nitrogen gain: a soybean crop removes far more nitrogen in grain than it leaves behind.

    Quantified:40 lb N/acre credit to following corn (state recommendations range 30–45)
    Applies when: corn grown the year after soybean
    Evidence: Extension guidance·Confidence: high

Nutrient cycling

  • Low-C:N residue that releases rather than immobilizes soil nitrogen
    moderate

    Soybean stover and roots have a low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and break down quickly, so nitrogen becomes available to the next crop. Cereal residues do the opposite, tying up available soil nitrogen while they decompose.

    Applies when: residue left on the field after harvest
    Evidence: Extension guidance·Confidence: high

Pollinator support

  • Mid-summer nectar resource for honey bees
    moderate

    Soybean does not need insects to set seed, but flowering fields are a genuine nectar source at a point in the summer when other forage is thin. Ohio State work found honey bees preferentially foraging soybean, with nectar volume — not flower colour or sugar concentration — driving visitation.

    Applies when: during bloom (R1–R3); varies substantially by variety
    Evidence: Peer-reviewed·Confidence: medium

Soil health

  • Rotation-diversity yield effect on the following corn crop
    moderate

    A long-term Ohio trial running since 1962 finds continuous corn the lowest-yielding system tested, by up to 18 percent (about 28 bu/acre) against corn–soybean and corn–forage rotations. Soybean in the rotation is what makes that difference available to an Ohio grain farm.

    Quantified:18 % corn yield penalty for continuous corn vs. rotation (up to)
    Applies when: corn–soybean rotation compared with continuous corn
    Evidence: Peer-reviewed·Confidence: medium

Cultivars

Named varieties and what the sources say sets each apart. A cultivar-specific zone, chill or maturity figure overrides the species value above.

No cultivars recorded yet for this crop.

Grows With / Avoid Near

Documented interactions with other catalog crops — shared pests, allelopathy, rotation effects, alley and understory pairings — for companion, guild and rotation planning. Plan a combination with Soybean →

Avoid near, or plan around (47)

Grows with (26)

Tolerates (3)

Direction matters: a rotation benefit of A before B says nothing about B before A. Interactions are documented pairs only; absence is a research gap, not a clean bill.

Nearby Buyers

Radius from Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt:
No registered buyers for this crop within 50 miles.

Data Sources

Every data point on this page is traceable to its source. Below you'll find the complete provenance trail — which sources were used, when data was last verified, and a full change history.

Primary sources: USDA NASS, USDA PLANTS Database, NC State Extension, Penn State Extension, Michigan State Extension.

Economics data year: 2025 · Basis: lake erie View economics source →

51 tracked changes across 9 data categories

Core Crop Data

Aug 17, 20261 entry
Apr 18, 20263 entries

Storage Requirements

Apr 18, 20261 entry

Market Channels

Apr 18, 20261 entry

Equipment Requirements

Apr 18, 20261 entry

Risks & Threats

Apr 18, 20261 entry

Drainage Preferences

Apr 18, 20261 entry

Soil Preferences

Apr 18, 20261 entry
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Your Location

  • Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt
  • NY / PA
  • United States
  • Zone 6a

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