High Oleic Soybeans

High Oleic Soybeans: Premium Value, Proven Performance
A Specialty Crop Delivering Real Returns for U.S. Soybean Farmers

Why High Oleic Matters: Meeting Market Demand, Maximizing Farmer Returns
High oleic soybeans represent one of the Soy Checkoff’s most direct paths from research investment to farmer profit. These specialty varieties produce oil with higher levels of oleic acid, delivering the stability and performance that food, feed and industrial customers demand, while returning premium payments directly to the farmers who grow them.

The numbers tell the story: United Soybean Board has invested more than $130 million in high oleic development. That investment has returned nearly $400 million in premium payments back to farmers planting high oleic traits through 2025.

For farmers, high oleic varieties deliver the same agronomic performance expected from traditional soybeans—with premiums ranging from $0.75 to $1.25 per bushel above conventional varieties. (source)

The High Oleic Advantage
High oleic soybean oil provide excellent stability and high-heat performance:

  • Greater shelf stability and extended fry life for food service operations (source)
  • Higher levels of beneficial monounsaturated fatty acids and less saturated fat
  • Superior performance in high-heat industrial applications from asphalt to hydraulic fluids
  • Improved milk fat yield when used in dairy rations (source)

These performance advantages create demand across multiple market segments – food, feed and industrial – diversifying opportunities for U.S. soybean farmers.

Where We Are Now
Farmers in 16 states throughout the U.S. soybean belt currently grow high oleic soybeans, with the highest concentration of acres in Ohio, Indiana and Delmarva region. Soybean farmers had access to 21 high oleic varieties in 2025 while farming nearly 1 million acres, with the potential to reach 5-7 million acres a decade from now. Mature groups range from 1.9 to 4.8 across all regions within the existing market and seven of the 21 are covered to the E series genetic. Available varieties include Plenish® from Corteva and SOYLEIC® from Beck’s.1

1 Data secured through industry discussions and is subject to some variation

Current Market Breakout:

  • 43% food applications
  • 55% dairy rations
  • 2% industrial uses (asphalt, bioplastic, fire-resistant hydraulic oil) 2

2 Data secured through industry discussions and is subject to some variation

Growing Demand Across Markets
Food Applications High oleic soybean oil meets the food industry’s need for high stability frying, extended shelf life as a spray oil, and bland flavor

Dairy Feed Multiple checkoff-funded studies demonstrate strong performance benefits when high oleic soybeans are added to dairy rations. Research shows increased milk fat yield and improved profit potential, providing a high-quality source of fat and protein with the potential to reduce overall diet costs (more here). In fact, replacing purchased protein and fat supplements with roasted high-oleic soybeans can lessen feed costs and improve margins. Recent economic modeling at Michigan State University found an average income-over-feed-cost advantage of $0.65 per cow per day for farms producing and roasting their own high-oleic soybeans and about $0.27 per cow per day for farms buying roasted beans and paying transport (source).

Industrial Uses The checkoff continues developing high oleic applications that expand soybean oil demand:

  • Asphalt: New polymers from high oleic soybean oil offer a lower-cost and cleaner alternative to binding agents used in asphalt across America’s 2.6 million miles of paved roads.
  • Bioplastic: USB is helping develop biobased plastic using high oleic soybean oil that’s soil and marine biodegradable. Soy straws made from this material biodegrade in just six months after contact with microbes in water or soil.
  • Fire-resistant hydraulic oil: USB is formulating high oleic soybean oil as a primary base in environmentally friendly fire-resistant hydraulic fluid for mining, steel production, automotive manufacturing, forestry and agriculture applications.

Key Messages

  • High oleic soybeans have returned $396 million in premium payments to farmers—a direct return on the $136 million checkoff investment.
  • Farmers earn $0.75–$1.25 per bushel premiums above conventional varieties, with the same agronomic performance they expect from traditional soybeans.
  • High oleic expands markets for soybean oil in frying, baking and high-heat industrial uses—it doesn’t take away demand from commodity soybean oil, which still meets the needs of many food and nonfood customers.
  • The checkoff is committed to expanding contracted acres and delivery locations to make this specialty soybean available to more farmers.
  • With potential to reach 5-7 million acres, high oleic represents significant growth opportunity for farmers seeking premium returns.

Additional Resources