High oleic soybeans
Geographic area expands for Plenish soybeans used to make oils free of trans fat.

DES MOINES, IOWA — High-oleic soybeans are heading west. Ag Processing Inc. will offer production contracts for Pioneer brand Plenish high-oleic soybeans for 2016 in Nebraska. Plenish high-oleic soybean oil from the soybeans offers an alternative to partially hydrogenated oils (phos).

“AGP is excited to bring this value-added opportunity to area soybean farmers to help improve their return per acre, and to develop the first Plenish high-oleic soybean production footprint west of the Mississippi,” said Mark Sandeen, vice-president of processing and marketing for AGP, a cooperatively owned agribusiness. “The improved fry life and shelf life characteristics that Plenish high-oleic soybean oil brings to food industry applications, along with the product’s nutrition benefits, will help build long-term soybean demand.”

AGP will contract with growers around the company’s soybean processing plant and refinery in Hastings, Neb. Farmers will receive an incentive of 50c per bu for producing and storing the beans or an incentive of 40c per bu for a harvest delivery contract.

DuPont Pioneer, Des Moines, developed Plenish high-oleic soybeans. They already are grown east of the Mississippi river, including in the states of Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania. Plenish high-oleic soybean oil has 0 grams of trans fat per serving and 20% less saturated fat than commodity soybean oil, according to DuPont Pioneer. The oil has a high oxidative stability that adds to fry life in restaurants applications and to shelf life in packaged food products.