Soybeans icon

Flows of soybeans from the Upper Mississippi River Foodscape

We can use FoodS3 to track soybeans through the process of transporting them to crushing facilities, where they are converted into soy oil and soy meal, and then tracking the soy meal produced to where it is used as animal feed. 

Maps of soybean flows

In the maps below, the amount of soybean produced is shown in green, and darker colors indicate more soybeans going to a given use.

black lines indicate flows of soybeans to crushers, and colored lines represent flows to animals. The thickness of the lines represents the size of the flow - a thicker line means more soybeans or soymeal is traveling between those two points.

Flows of soybeans from the UMR Foodscape, processed into soy meal, and fed to hogs

Shades of green representing soybean production in the foodscape counties. Black lines show flows of soybeans to crushing facilities, mostly in or near the highlighted counties, and other lines show flows of soy meal to hogs. These flows mostly remain in the foodscape states.

Flows of soybeans from the UMR Foodscape, processed into soy meal, and fed to broiler chickens

Shades of green representing soybean production in the foodscape counties. Black lines show flows of soybeans to crushing facilities, mostly in or near the highlighted. Other lines show flows of soy meal to broilers, which mostly go to the south, especially TX, AR, and MS

Flows of soybeans from the UMR Foodscape, processed into soy meal, and fed to cattle

Shades of green representing soybean production in the foodscape counties. Black lines show flows of soybeans to crushing facilities, mostly in or near the highlighted counties with some also going to TX and NE. Other lines show flows of soy meal to cattle, which mostly go to western states (TX, NE, AZ, OR, CA)

How is foodscape soy used?

The tables below show FoodS3 estimates of the percentage of soybean and soymeal sourced from the Upper MIssissippi River Foodscape used by sectors including animal feed and exports.

Destinations of soybeans from the Upper Mississippi River Foodscape and national averages, by industry

 

National 
average

Foodscape

Crushers

50%

77%

Export

48%

23%

Other

2%

<1%

Destination of soy meal from the Upper Mississippi River Foodscape and national averages, by industry

 

National average

Foodscape

All animals

68%

70%

Hogs

13%

27%

Poultry

37%

19%

Cattle

14%

17%

Export

16%

16%

Other

13%

10%