Updated March 28, 2019:
Blue Springs LLC, Final Report
The High Yield PLUS Quality (HY+Q) project was phenomenally successful in FY2017 because the
Blue Spring Communications team pioneered a method to identify soybean value at the variety
level. This breakthrough uncovered multi-billion-dollar value improvement opportunities and
solidified a position for Illinois and the U.S. Soybean Export Council as leaders in composition
advancement. Several advances have set the stage for ISA and USSEC to transition the HY+Q
program from research and development to a commercial operation that advances soybean quality
and value in FY2018. Advances include the following:
• Created an easy method to compare the feed value of individual soybean varieties by converting
whole soybean samples into “virtual meal” and comparing the value of those samples in the
same ration formulation software that customers use.
• Discovered the difference in feed value in varieties can be nearly $3 per head of hogs in a
finishing operation. Feed value differences in poultry are predicted to be greater.
• Pinpointed a significant value improvement opportunity in every soybean-producing state.
• Confirmed the USSEC was right that amino acids and oil give value to soybeans.
• Discovered the three-state EAA coalition is counting value of essential amino acids in a way that
is mathematically inverse to value.
• Discovered there are two high-value essential amino acids in soybeans that have great
marketing potential. Isoleucine and valine lack cheap synthetic alternatives, which means
soybeans high in those EAAs are especially valuable.
• Reinforced beliefs that processors are profiting at the expense of farmers and livestock
nutritionists by selling soybeans based on protein and selling soybean hulls for protein prices.
• Discovered that while oil and protein have a negative relationship, oil value and feed value
present little or no trade off.
• Found that protein has a very weak (yet still positive) relationship with soybean value in
livestock feed.
• Discovered that soybeans above 35 percent protein and 19 percent oil have a very low
relationship to livestock feed value.
• Confirmed that HY+Q “breakthroughs” are accepted to the customers who buy soybeans.
OUTPUT(S):
Target: Agronomic and protein and oil data from up to 15 agribusinesses
Result: Mixed. Samples were collected from 13 seed companies and agribusinesses. Participation
increased by nearly 30 percent, including adding a multinational seed company and two national
companies to the sampling program:
Target: One new multinational seed company working with HYQ and exploring agronomics and
protein and oil data
Result: Success. Monsanto agreed to participate and then failed to deliver on their commitment.
Syngenta joined the sampling program, delivering the win in this output.
Target: A research relationship with one new regional seed company
Result: Surpassed. Great Lakes and Growmark joined the sampling program in FY 2017.
Target: Five QSSBs working with HYQ to replicate IL/ISA success with their selected local seed
companies to value soybean composition leading to improved protein and oil for their varieties
Result: Fail. Invitations were sent to all soybean states directly and through USSEC. The invitations
to collaborate are still pending a response.
Target: Ten new stakeholders to work with HYQ
Result: Success: This was achieved or surpassed through conversations that are ongoing:
1. Dr. Shawn Conley, University of Wisconsin – consulting relationship
2. Dr. Bart Borg, Standard Nutrition Company – nutrition expertise
3. Chris Hostetler, National Pork Board – customer relationship, sustainability lead and
potential feed study
4. Mike Borgic, Illinois Pork Board – grower meeting and possible working relationship
Seed Company
2014
Samples
Received
2015
Samples
Received
2016
Samples
Received
AgReliant 90 106 154
Baird Seed Company 0 13 0
Baker Seed 8 7 6
Bayer CropScience 18 0 14
Beck's Hybrids 319 422 381
Burrus Seed 0 5
DuPont Pioneer 36 47 14
Great Lakes Hybrids 54
Growmark 190
JCB Ag Research 0 60 58
LG Seeds 0 222 223
Munson Hybrids 8 0 0
Schertz Aerial (aka Yield Challenge) 16 23 56
Schillinger Genetics 11 17 19
Soy Capital 29 49 60
Stine 0 25 0
Syngenta Seed 48
Seed Companies TOTAL 535 996 1277
4
5. Dr. Hans Stein, University of Illinois – research and consulting relationship
6. Dr. Nick Bajjalieh, Integrative Nutrition – consulting relationship
7. Eric West and Megan Bachmann, Growmark – research and marketing relationships
8. Dr. Omar Mendoza, Maschoffs – customer relationship
9. Travis Dollarhide and Kim Robertson, LG seeds – marketing and communications
10.Chris Haag and Christy Zeller, Ag Reliant – marketing relationship
Target: HYQ visits with at least 25 industry partners by phone or in person
Result: Success. This was achieved through numerous seed company meetings and in the two
meetings at Commodity Classic.
Target: A Quality Advisory panel established
Result: Mixed. ISA has a panel but they were not communicated with
Target: HYQ website completed and maintenance ongoing
Result: Success. Soyvalue.com was created and used in FY 2017, and revised for enhanced use in
FY 2018. There were more than 500 farmer visits based on a single postcard mailing to 1,500
farmers by the University of Minnesota. We also collaborated with the ISA team on developing the
new ISA website.
Target: HYQ presence at one major trade show
Result: Surpassed. We showed at Farm Progress, hosted two meetings at Commodity Classic and
attended the Midwest Shipper Conference.
Target: Two FFA programs with news releases in the largest local newspapers
Result: Deferred. Not attempted this year.
Target: WISHH soybean shipment connected with HY+Q
Result: Not attempted.
5
OUTCOME(S):
Target: Progress toward 35% protein and 19% oil in harvest samples
Result: We discovered that the 35/19 goal hides soybean value and reset the goal to maximizing
visibility of value being driven by essential amino acid levels.
Target: Consistent 48% crude protein in soybean meal
Result: We discovered that crude protein is weakly correlated with soybean value and reset the
goal to advance value based on oil and levels of seven essential amino acids.
Target: Teamwork on compositional quality efforts with USB, USSEC, and within the checkoff
family and soybean production states aware of HY+Q efforts
Result: Success. Teamwork advanced to a new level in FY201. The USSEC teamwork played a key
role in the breakthrough.
Target: Growing interest of additional QSSBs and USB in working
6
Target: Student program expanded with a focus on sending the market signal to seed companies
and raising farmer awareness about quality.
Result: Project was deferred.
Target: Illinois soybeans are preferred in the market place
Result: Success pending. This is feasible only through container shipping because it is otherwise not
possible to identity-preserve soybeans based on value.
Target: US soybeans overcome international competition
Result: Pending.
Target: Branding program successfully rallies the market place around high-quality U.S. soybeans
Result: Initial success has been achieved through HY+Q discovering value at the variety level and
developing a website to report on it.
Target: Seed company acceptable of the research costs for developing high yield and high-quality
varieties
Result: We are shifting the conversation to center on maximizing value of seed that’s already on
the market, making research costs irrelevant because they are already captured in operating costs.
What were the constraint(s) on meeting the project Objective?
1. States have stated goals of being recognized for better quality than other states vs. a shared
commitment to cooperating on value for national and local gain.
2. Different objectives of USSEC, USB, and states make consensus elusive.
3. Attempting to cooperate with long-term USB science and strategy goals significantly increases
the cost and time to achieve short-term ISA science and marketing success.
4. ISA directors need to be fully informed of program discoveries, opportunities and progress.
5. Focusing on rehashing program barriers instead of leveraging facts or existing research which
easily overcomes those barriers cost months of progress. For example, we spent 9 months with
progress pending replicated plot data then it was discovered that the checkoff had thousands of
samples from replicated plots dating back to 2005.
6. The national checkoff strategy delayed amino acid value from being fully explored dating back
to at least 2010.
7. Checkoff leadership are relatively uninformed on the basics of nutrition science, nutrition
software functionality, and agronomic practices. This makes easy decisions more difficult and
time-intensive.
7
Describe how you accomplished your Project Performance Measures:
We accomplished project performance measures through relentless dedication to innovative
strategy, sound science, efficiency, perseverance, and creativity.
Was the project Output(s) effective in moving toward the planned Outcome:
Yes.
Were the right expected result/time frame established:
No. The results being centered on protein were off target.
Was the right audience targeted:
Yes and no. Seed companies and farmers are the right places to focus. Checkoff teamwork
wastes time unless it’s done with courage and conviction that marketing best practices
reliably work everywhere they are tried.
Were the right amount of resources invested:
Yes.
What lessons were learned:
1. Oil and levels of seven essential amino acids drive all soybean value in livestock feed,
with protein being weakly correlated to value.
2. USSEC is an exceptional example of a checkoff team dedicated to a spirit of true
teamwork for the benefit of soybean farmers and their customers.
3. The national checkoff made decisions that kept amino acid value in the social and
science margins instead of at the center of the conversation.
4. There are billions in hidden value standing ready to be put in the marketing spotlight.
5. Taking simple commercially proven steps to serve famers and soybean customers is now
possible thanks to ISA leadership and its commitment to innovation.
If applicable, how will you disseminate the information generated by the project:
1. News releases
2. Soyvalue.com
3. Customer value reports
4. Certificates of excellence and appreciation
5. Value improvement blueprints
6. Presentation’s to seed companies.
8
If applicable, what will be the impact on whom in the soybean industry and how:
Impacts will be three-fold: 1) farmers will know what their soybeans are worth to end users
and factor that information into seed selection choices; 2) seed companies will know which
varieties have the highest value to oil and livestock customers and take action to advance
high-value varieties; and 3) processors will someday be inspired to develop a new pricing
structure that recognizes essential amino acid value.
Centrec Consulting LLC - Final Report
Program/Project Description: The High Yield Plus Quality (HY+Q) program supported a third year of Illinois leadership uniting 15 multinational and regional agribusinesses with the checkoff family to improve quality, meet customer requirements, and maximize soybean value. Seed companies were the primary target of HY+Q because they have ultimate genetic control over soybean composition, and our farmers work with seed companies to choose soybean varieties every growing season. HY+Q takes on the composition challenge through behavioral change methods, compositional quality data, and communications that foster new relationships to achieve groundbreaking progress from seed-tofeed.
The HYQ program has objectives for agribusinesses, farmers and checkoff family, customers and
compositional data. While Centrec worked to support the program's overall objectives, the Centrec
work plan primarily focused on sampling, compositional data, analysis and reporting.
1. Outputs
This project resulted in the following outputs:
a. Reports of the quality testing performed on 1,221 samples provided by 12 seed companies. These reports were provided to the seed companies either through in-person meetings or electronically.
b. NIR protein, oil and amino acid results of 1,748 farmer samples were received from USSEC, compiled and used to estimate meal value for a swine finishing diet. This information was then provided for the database supporting the “Soyvalue.com” website.
c. Guidance for developing the methodology for the meal value metrics was provided.
2. Outcomes:
A total of 1,277 samples from 12 agribusinesses and the ISA Yield Challenge were tested for crude protein, oil, and amino acids by the University of Minnesota (U of MN) lab. The results were received and compiled. In addition, U of MN provided the farmer results from the USSEC Soybean Quality Survey (Survey). The agribusiness and Survey results were used in preparing reports for the agribusinesses. The HY+Q team met in early January to discuss the reporting strategy for the agribusinesses and the data needed for the HY+Q website, “soyvalue.com”. Farmer results data were provided to the digital HY+Q team for use in the HY+Q website. In addition, the Centrec team provided data and input for analysis performed as part of the development of a value score for soybean varieties.
3. Constraints in meeting project objective in the contracted timeline:
The challenge was the use of all budgeted fees and expenses for the project while the needs of the project continued to emerge (such as ongoing dialog with agribusinesses about the HY+Q effort and sampling of the 2017 soybean crop). Centrec agreed to provide an additional fixed amount of services on a pro bono basis (agreed upon by Linda Kull). Centrec worked closely with Linda to prioritize what was to be done within the scope of the agreed upon pro bono work.
4. Specific results and examples of the project brought about for the soybean industry and/or the target audiences?
Specific results of the project include (1) the compiled farmer and seed company results used for “Soyvalue.com”, a website targeted to soybean farmers; and (2) reports containing compiled results from the agribusiness testing and the USSEC Soybean Quality Survey. These reports were either presented to the participating agribusinesses or sent to them electronically.
5. Describe how you accomplished your Project Performance Measures:
The project meet expectations by engaging more than 15 agribusinesses, including a new multinational seed company, in the sampling effort and therefore, raising their awareness of the HY+Q program and the importance of soybean quality. Farmers who participated in the Survey had the opportunity to learn more about HY+Q by visiting the HY+Q website, “Soyvalue.com”. In addition, awareness about how end users such as pork producers value soybean meal and the implications of composition on the end user value of soybeans was created.
View uploaded report 
Blue Springs LLC, Final Report
The High Yield PLUS Quality (HY+Q) project was phenomenally successful in FY2017 because the
Blue Spring Communications team pioneered a method to identify soybean value at the variety
level. This breakthrough uncovered multi-billion-dollar value improvement opportunities and
solidified a position for Illinois and the U.S. Soybean Export Council as leaders in composition
advancement. Several advances have set the stage for ISA and USSEC to transition the HY+Q
program from research and development to a commercial operation that advances soybean quality
and value in FY2018. Advances include the following:
• Created an easy method to compare the feed value of individual soybean varieties by converting
whole soybean samples into “virtual meal” and comparing the value of those samples in the
same ration formulation software that customers use.
• Discovered the difference in feed value in varieties can be nearly $3 per head of hogs in a
finishing operation. Feed value differences in poultry are predicted to be greater.
• Pinpointed a significant value improvement opportunity in every soybean-producing state.
• Confirmed the USSEC was right that amino acids and oil give value to soybeans.
• Discovered the three-state EAA coalition is counting value of essential amino acids in a way that
is mathematically inverse to value.
• Discovered there are two high-value essential amino acids in soybeans that have great
marketing potential. Isoleucine and valine lack cheap synthetic alternatives, which means
soybeans high in those EAAs are especially valuable.
• Reinforced beliefs that processors are profiting at the expense of farmers and livestock
nutritionists by selling soybeans based on protein and selling soybean hulls for protein prices.
• Discovered that while oil and protein have a negative relationship, oil value and feed value
present little or no trade off.
• Found that protein has a very weak (yet still positive) relationship with soybean value in
livestock feed.
• Discovered that soybeans above 35 percent protein and 19 percent oil have a very low
relationship to livestock feed value.
• Confirmed that HY+Q “breakthroughs” are accepted to the customers who buy soybeans.
OUTPUT(S):
Target: Agronomic and protein and oil data from up to 15 agribusinesses
Result: Mixed. Samples were collected from 13 seed companies and agribusinesses. Participation
increased by nearly 30 percent, including adding a multinational seed company and two national
companies to the sampling program:
Target: One new multinational seed company working with HYQ and exploring agronomics and
protein and oil data
Result: Success. Monsanto agreed to participate and then failed to deliver on their commitment.
Syngenta joined the sampling program, delivering the win in this output.
Target: A research relationship with one new regional seed company
Result: Surpassed. Great Lakes and Growmark joined the sampling program in FY 2017.
Target: Five QSSBs working with HYQ to replicate IL/ISA success with their selected local seed
companies to value soybean composition leading to improved protein and oil for their varieties
Result: Fail. Invitations were sent to all soybean states directly and through USSEC. The invitations
to collaborate are still pending a response.
Target: Ten new stakeholders to work with HYQ
Result: Success: This was achieved or surpassed through conversations that are ongoing:
1. Dr. Shawn Conley, University of Wisconsin – consulting relationship
2. Dr. Bart Borg, Standard Nutrition Company – nutrition expertise
3. Chris Hostetler, National Pork Board – customer relationship, sustainability lead and
potential feed study
4. Mike Borgic, Illinois Pork Board – grower meeting and possible working relationship
Seed Company
2014
Samples
Received
2015
Samples
Received
2016
Samples
Received
AgReliant 90 106 154
Baird Seed Company 0 13 0
Baker Seed 8 7 6
Bayer CropScience 18 0 14
Beck's Hybrids 319 422 381
Burrus Seed 0 5
DuPont Pioneer 36 47 14
Great Lakes Hybrids 54
Growmark 190
JCB Ag Research 0 60 58
LG Seeds 0 222 223
Munson Hybrids 8 0 0
Schertz Aerial (aka Yield Challenge) 16 23 56
Schillinger Genetics 11 17 19
Soy Capital 29 49 60
Stine 0 25 0
Syngenta Seed 48
Seed Companies TOTAL 535 996 1277
4
5. Dr. Hans Stein, University of Illinois – research and consulting relationship
6. Dr. Nick Bajjalieh, Integrative Nutrition – consulting relationship
7. Eric West and Megan Bachmann, Growmark – research and marketing relationships
8. Dr. Omar Mendoza, Maschoffs – customer relationship
9. Travis Dollarhide and Kim Robertson, LG seeds – marketing and communications
10.Chris Haag and Christy Zeller, Ag Reliant – marketing relationship
Target: HYQ visits with at least 25 industry partners by phone or in person
Result: Success. This was achieved through numerous seed company meetings and in the two
meetings at Commodity Classic.
Target: A Quality Advisory panel established
Result: Mixed. ISA has a panel but they were not communicated with
Target: HYQ website completed and maintenance ongoing
Result: Success. Soyvalue.com was created and used in FY 2017, and revised for enhanced use in
FY 2018. There were more than 500 farmer visits based on a single postcard mailing to 1,500
farmers by the University of Minnesota. We also collaborated with the ISA team on developing the
new ISA website.
Target: HYQ presence at one major trade show
Result: Surpassed. We showed at Farm Progress, hosted two meetings at Commodity Classic and
attended the Midwest Shipper Conference.
Target: Two FFA programs with news releases in the largest local newspapers
Result: Deferred. Not attempted this year.
Target: WISHH soybean shipment connected with HY+Q
Result: Not attempted.
5
OUTCOME(S):
Target: Progress toward 35% protein and 19% oil in harvest samples
Result: We discovered that the 35/19 goal hides soybean value and reset the goal to maximizing
visibility of value being driven by essential amino acid levels.
Target: Consistent 48% crude protein in soybean meal
Result: We discovered that crude protein is weakly correlated with soybean value and reset the
goal to advance value based on oil and levels of seven essential amino acids.
Target: Teamwork on compositional quality efforts with USB, USSEC, and within the checkoff
family and soybean production states aware of HY+Q efforts
Result: Success. Teamwork advanced to a new level in FY201. The USSEC teamwork played a key
role in the breakthrough.
Target: Growing interest of additional QSSBs and USB in working
6
Target: Student program expanded with a focus on sending the market signal to seed companies
and raising farmer awareness about quality.
Result: Project was deferred.
Target: Illinois soybeans are preferred in the market place
Result: Success pending. This is feasible only through container shipping because it is otherwise not
possible to identity-preserve soybeans based on value.
Target: US soybeans overcome international competition
Result: Pending.
Target: Branding program successfully rallies the market place around high-quality U.S. soybeans
Result: Initial success has been achieved through HY+Q discovering value at the variety level and
developing a website to report on it.
Target: Seed company acceptable of the research costs for developing high yield and high-quality
varieties
Result: We are shifting the conversation to center on maximizing value of seed that’s already on
the market, making research costs irrelevant because they are already captured in operating costs.
What were the constraint(s) on meeting the project Objective?
1. States have stated goals of being recognized for better quality than other states vs. a shared
commitment to cooperating on value for national and local gain.
2. Different objectives of USSEC, USB, and states make consensus elusive.
3. Attempting to cooperate with long-term USB science and strategy goals significantly increases
the cost and time to achieve short-term ISA science and marketing success.
4. ISA directors need to be fully informed of program discoveries, opportunities and progress.
5. Focusing on rehashing program barriers instead of leveraging facts or existing research which
easily overcomes those barriers cost months of progress. For example, we spent 9 months with
progress pending replicated plot data then it was discovered that the checkoff had thousands of
samples from replicated plots dating back to 2005.
6. The national checkoff strategy delayed amino acid value from being fully explored dating back
to at least 2010.
7. Checkoff leadership are relatively uninformed on the basics of nutrition science, nutrition
software functionality, and agronomic practices. This makes easy decisions more difficult and
time-intensive.
7
Describe how you accomplished your Project Performance Measures:
We accomplished project performance measures through relentless dedication to innovative
strategy, sound science, efficiency, perseverance, and creativity.
Was the project Output(s) effective in moving toward the planned Outcome:
Yes.
Were the right expected result/time frame established:
No. The results being centered on protein were off target.
Was the right audience targeted:
Yes and no. Seed companies and farmers are the right places to focus. Checkoff teamwork
wastes time unless it’s done with courage and conviction that marketing best practices
reliably work everywhere they are tried.
Were the right amount of resources invested:
Yes.
What lessons were learned:
1. Oil and levels of seven essential amino acids drive all soybean value in livestock feed,
with protein being weakly correlated to value.
2. USSEC is an exceptional example of a checkoff team dedicated to a spirit of true
teamwork for the benefit of soybean farmers and their customers.
3. The national checkoff made decisions that kept amino acid value in the social and
science margins instead of at the center of the conversation.
4. There are billions in hidden value standing ready to be put in the marketing spotlight.
5. Taking simple commercially proven steps to serve famers and soybean customers is now
possible thanks to ISA leadership and its commitment to innovation.
If applicable, how will you disseminate the information generated by the project:
1. News releases
2. Soyvalue.com
3. Customer value reports
4. Certificates of excellence and appreciation
5. Value improvement blueprints
6. Presentation’s to seed companies.
8
If applicable, what will be the impact on whom in the soybean industry and how:
Impacts will be three-fold: 1) farmers will know what their soybeans are worth to end users
and factor that information into seed selection choices; 2) seed companies will know which
varieties have the highest value to oil and livestock customers and take action to advance
high-value varieties; and 3) processors will someday be inspired to develop a new pricing
structure that recognizes essential amino acid value.
Centrec Consulting LLC - Final Report
Program/Project Description: The High Yield Plus Quality (HY+Q) program supported a third year of Illinois leadership uniting 15 multinational and regional agribusinesses with the checkoff family to improve quality, meet customer requirements, and maximize soybean value. Seed companies were the primary target of HY+Q because they have ultimate genetic control over soybean composition, and our farmers work with seed companies to choose soybean varieties every growing season. HY+Q takes on the composition challenge through behavioral change methods, compositional quality data, and communications that foster new relationships to achieve groundbreaking progress from seed-tofeed.
The HYQ program has objectives for agribusinesses, farmers and checkoff family, customers and
compositional data. While Centrec worked to support the program's overall objectives, the Centrec
work plan primarily focused on sampling, compositional data, analysis and reporting.
1. Outputs
This project resulted in the following outputs:
a. Reports of the quality testing performed on 1,221 samples provided by 12 seed companies. These reports were provided to the seed companies either through in-person meetings or electronically.
b. NIR protein, oil and amino acid results of 1,748 farmer samples were received from USSEC, compiled and used to estimate meal value for a swine finishing diet. This information was then provided for the database supporting the “Soyvalue.com” website.
c. Guidance for developing the methodology for the meal value metrics was provided.
2. Outcomes:
A total of 1,277 samples from 12 agribusinesses and the ISA Yield Challenge were tested for crude protein, oil, and amino acids by the University of Minnesota (U of MN) lab. The results were received and compiled. In addition, U of MN provided the farmer results from the USSEC Soybean Quality Survey (Survey). The agribusiness and Survey results were used in preparing reports for the agribusinesses. The HY+Q team met in early January to discuss the reporting strategy for the agribusinesses and the data needed for the HY+Q website, “soyvalue.com”. Farmer results data were provided to the digital HY+Q team for use in the HY+Q website. In addition, the Centrec team provided data and input for analysis performed as part of the development of a value score for soybean varieties.
3. Constraints in meeting project objective in the contracted timeline:
The challenge was the use of all budgeted fees and expenses for the project while the needs of the project continued to emerge (such as ongoing dialog with agribusinesses about the HY+Q effort and sampling of the 2017 soybean crop). Centrec agreed to provide an additional fixed amount of services on a pro bono basis (agreed upon by Linda Kull). Centrec worked closely with Linda to prioritize what was to be done within the scope of the agreed upon pro bono work.
4. Specific results and examples of the project brought about for the soybean industry and/or the target audiences?
Specific results of the project include (1) the compiled farmer and seed company results used for “Soyvalue.com”, a website targeted to soybean farmers; and (2) reports containing compiled results from the agribusiness testing and the USSEC Soybean Quality Survey. These reports were either presented to the participating agribusinesses or sent to them electronically.
5. Describe how you accomplished your Project Performance Measures:
The project meet expectations by engaging more than 15 agribusinesses, including a new multinational seed company, in the sampling effort and therefore, raising their awareness of the HY+Q program and the importance of soybean quality. Farmers who participated in the Survey had the opportunity to learn more about HY+Q by visiting the HY+Q website, “Soyvalue.com”. In addition, awareness about how end users such as pork producers value soybean meal and the implications of composition on the end user value of soybeans was created.