As most farmers have experienced, summer drought and heat have always been the most important barriers to profitable soybeans in the USA. There is an expectation that future summer heat waves and drought cycles will be even more extreme than those we experience now. Soybean varieties in the USA have generally been reported to be drought and heat sensitive. Consequently, intermittent and/or terminal droughts can severely reduce yields of soybeans. This is evident in the state, where yields are often below 35 bu/ac. Because irrigation is not a viable option, the development of drought tolerant soybean varieties will be necessary for sustainable soybean production in NC. We have developed soybean breeding varieties that are relatively drought tolerant. This was made possible due to the identification of complex traits –particularly the “slow-wilting” trait –found in our soybean breeding material. In order for these gains to be realized in farmers’ fields, these traits will need to be integrated with commercial cultivars. Therefore, assessing the current commercial germplasm is a critical step in this endeavor. This, of course, is no easy task. However, with support from the North Carolina Soybean Producers Association and collaboration with Universities, companies, and NC OVT, we are making important positive gains toward the goal of reducing the impact of drought and heat stress on soybean production in North Carolina.