More soybean producers will now have the opportunity to produce Pioneer brand Plenish high oleic soybeans under contract and be eligible for a grain premium. Participating growers will be able to deliver grain to a participating elevator or directly to designated Perdue facilities for processing.
Perdue AgriBusiness currently operates several grain receiving and storage facilities in Pennsylvania that purchase $148 million in local grain and other products from more than 2,000 farmers and local businesses. The company also sells feed ingredients and refined soybean oil to Pennsylvania food and feed processors as well as dry fertilizers and crop protection products to farmers worth more than $225 million.
“Thanks to an expanding market for this improved soybean oil, Perdue is offering more contracted production acres for 2018,” said Gary Cordier, vice-president of domestic soy sales for Perdue. “Plenish high oleic soybeans offer the right combination of higher yield and profit potential for growers and more healthful, functionally superior oil for our food industry.”
Soybean growers who contract to grow Pioneer brand Plenish high oleic soybeans in the 2018 growing season will receive a 50¢ per bushel incentive for producing and storing the beans or a 40¢ per bushel premium for a harvest delivery contract.
“Since we started working with Perdue in 2013, grower interest in Pioneer brand Plenish high oleic soybeans has been exceptional,” said Cynthia Ericson, DuPont Pioneer area lead. “The varieties we offer for contracting provide the defensive characteristics and high yield potential that area growers need to significantly improve income per acre.”
Plenish high oleic soybean oil provides companies and food service operators a sustainable, U.S.-grown, soy-based trans-fat alternative with 0 grams trans fat per serving and 20% less saturated fat than commodity soybean oil, the companies said. The improved fatty acid profile provides the highest oxidative stability level of any commercially produced soybean oil. Additionally, this enhanced stability means longer fry life in restaurant applications and less polymerized oil buildup on equipment, which reduces cleaning costs.
The oil’s stability extends the shelf life for packaged food products without sacrificing flavor and eliminates the need for artificial preservatives, creating the opportunity for a cleaner ingredient label.
According to DuPont Pioneer, Plenish oil’s stability allows it to be utilized by the chemical industry as a renewable, environmentally-friendly alternative to petroleum-based products.
Pioneer brand Plenish high oleic soybean varieties are being developed with genetics using Pioneer’s Accelerated Yield Technology (AYT) 4.0. Multiple years of local testing has confirmed yields are on par with similar elite commercial soybean varieties.
Traits included in Plenish high oleic soybean products have received regulatory approvals in nearly all U.S. soybean export markets and approvals are pending in remaining export markets.
