Today, hundreds of different soybean varieties are available to the growers. Most of them differ in maturity group, herbicide tolerance, yield potential, and then disease resistance. Some varieties are particularly well suited to meet specialty markets because of their chemical or physical composition. Specialty soybean tends to be consumed as food or processed to make foods. Specialty soybeans fall into many categories and are usually produced under a contract. Previously most specialty soybeans were the non-GMO type of soybeans or organic soybeans. Today, this has changed because of a strong demand for oils such as low linolenic. This presentation will cover the basics of specialty soybeans: the most common types planted, and the pros and cons of each, and the management of them.
