# Keynote Case Study: United Soybean Board — Reinventing the Value of a Crop Through Science
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## Article Content
In December 2016, Jim Carroll addressed approximately 300 soybean farmers at a United Soybean Board event in St. Louis. Farmers already understood the pressure of markets, weather, productivity and commodity cycles. Carroll asked them to consider a different source of future opportunity: what could happen when accelerating science and new industrial technologies expanded what soybeans could be used to make? The keynote challenged an established agricultural sector to look beyond conventional demand and think about the long-term value of the crop itself. He began with the pace of scientific and technical change. The knowledge required to understand modern agriculture was expanding rapidly, making continuous learning essential. Driverless tractors, precision systems and connected farm machinery were obvious examples of technology changing how crops could be produced. But the presentation widened the question from production efficiency to scientific discovery, materials and commercial applications. Industrial uses of soybeans provided a powerful illustration. Carroll highlighted soybean-derived materials being used in automotive components, including seat cushions, and the importance of biodiesel as an example of a different market for agricultural output. These were concrete reminders that the crop's commercial potential was not confined to food and feed. Agricultural organizations could find opportunities by connecting crop science to the needs of manufacturers, materials researchers and energy businesses. The keynote then examined research at the edges of what seemed possible. Examples included work involving biological systems and potential solar-energy applications. Such studies were presented as early research concepts, not established soybean-based commercial products. Their significance lay in revealing how ideas from biology, materials engineering and energy science could combine in unexpected ways. A commodity industry's future might be influenced by a laboratory or customer category far beyond its usual market map. Carroll also returned to changes on the farm. Sensors, connected machinery, autonomous equipment and more precise field information promised improvements in how production decisions were made. Younger, digitally capable producers would bring different assumptions about data, technology and collaboration. These developments underscored that agricultural innovation was occurring simultaneously in the methods of production and in potential end uses. His closing challenge was to think bigger about where future demand could come from. The strongest growth opportunities might require partnerships among growers, producer organizations, scientists and industrial customers. United Soybean Board is a distinctive foresight case because it connected a highly specific crop to new materials and markets rather than presenting agriculture solely as a story of smarter machinery. The Challenge: How could soybean producers improve competitiveness while identifying new industrial applications that expanded future demand beyond established commodity markets? The Keynote: The Future of Agriculture and Farming The Message: The industry's future depends on both better farming and new answers to the question of what soybeans can become. Six Trends Shaping the Soybean Economy: Precision Production: Autonomous machines and connected systems improve agricultural decision-making. Accelerating Crop Science: Genomics and biological research expand potential applications and production methods. Advanced Materials: Soy-derived industrial inputs create markets beyond traditional food and feed uses. Biofuels: Energy applications illustrate how agricultural outputs can participate in changing industrial systems. Research Convergence: Biological and materials research can lead to possibilities outside established categories. Collaborative Market Development: Farmers, researchers and manufacturers must connect earlier to identify new uses and demand. THE FUTURE OF SOYBEANS IS NOT ONLY ABOUT HOW MUCH WE GROW. IT IS ABOUT WHAT SCIENCE ALLOWS US TO DO WITH WHAT WE GROW.

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Source: https://jimcarroll.com/2016/12/keynote-case-study-united-soybean-board-reinventing-the-value-of-a-crop-through-science/