The most valuable real estate in North Carolina’s USDA soybean breeding program at NCSU is in Puerto Rico. Our USDA winter nursery plots there, though only about 5 acres as compared to more than 100 acres grown on NCSU and NCDA research stations, is in dispensable because of its sunny days and frost free winter, allowing us to grow two crops per year instead of one. This off season nursery greatly speeds our soybean variety development. All the varieties we release for NC have an important stop in Puerto Rico, as they make their way to the farmer’s field. The soybean varieties NC-Miller, NC-Roy, NC-Raleigh, N8101, N7002, N7003CN,N8001, and N8002were all released as a result of winter nursery research.