Salisbury, MD (Wednesday, January 12, 2022) — Perdue AgriBusiness, a leading U.S. agriculture products and services company, in partnership with the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council, today announced plans to offer the first organic high oleic SOYLEIC® soybean grower contract program providing premiums to plant and deliver heart-healthy high oleic soybeans.

For the 2022 growing season, Perdue AgriBusiness will contract with organic soybean farmers in Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia to grow up to 10,000 acres of SOYLEIC® organic soybeans with the high oleic trait.

“We are excited to offer organic soybean producers the opportunity to participate in the high oleic soybean oil market. These high oleic soybeans are part of our strategy to assist organic crop producers to transition and expand organic acres through this value-added trait,” said Peter Gruppo, Perdue AgriBusiness director of U.S. domestic organic grains. “These high oleic soybeans offer organic soybean growers the right combination of high yield and profit potential in a rapidy growing market.”

Organic soybean growers who contract to grow SOYLEIC® organic high oleic soybeans for the 2022 growing season have the potential to earn a 90 cents per bushel premium for producing and storing the beans or a 65 cents per bushel incentive for a harvest delivery contract. Participating growers will be able to deliver beans directly to designated Perdue facilities for processing.

Since 2021, Perdue AgriBusiness has partnered with the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council and licensed several of its patented line of high oleic SOYLEIC® soybeans, offering identity preserved non-GMO and now organic contract growing opportunities.

“SOYLEIC® soybeans serve as a great link across the row to achieve the balance of demand placed upon our retailers by the consumer,” said Bryan Stobaugh, Missouri Soybeans director of licensing. “Consumers want to know what’s in their food and where it came from. The identity-preserved systems that help SOYLEIC® deliver performance and functionality, also enable full traceability from farm to fork. This agreement with Perdue AgriBusiness is giving SOYLEIC® untapped market potential and we couldn’t be more excited for the partnership.”

The development and commercialization of SOYLEIC® high oleic soybeans provides direct benefits to the food industry, consumers, growers, and the environment. Oil from these beans contains up to 80 to 85 percent oleic acid, significantly exceeding the industry’s 70 percent standard for high oleic. High oleic soybean oil has been approved as a heart healthy oil ingredient in the production of snack foods and consumer food products.

To learn more about SOYLEIC® soybean, trait, or potentials for consumers or animals, visit www.soyleic.com.”

For more information about organic high oleic soybean contracting opportunities with Perdue AgriBusiness, contact Scott Raubenstine, vice president of ag services, at 410-543-3236 or scott.raubenstine@perdue.com.

About Perdue AgriBusiness
Perdue AgriBusiness is an independent operating company of Perdue Farms Inc. Ranked among the largest grain companies in the U.S., Perdue AgriBusiness is a leading merchandiser, processor and exporter of agricultural products. Through Perdue AgriBusiness’ 75 elevator locations with more than 75 million bushels of storage, deep-water port, transload facilities, oilseed crushing operations, edible oil refinery, and protein blend mills, the company serves markets across the United States and around the world. Visit www.perdueagribusiness.com for more information.

About The Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council
The Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council is a statewide, farmer-led organization working to improve opportunities for Missouri soybean farmers through a combination of research, outreach, education and market development efforts supported by the soy checkoff. Learn more online by exploring mosoy.org.