2005 Year in Review

Soybean Weekly Update

Soybean Harvest Showing Good Yields in Argentina - Harvest in Argentina is well underway with approximately 42 percent of that country’s 14.2 million soybean hectares (35 million acres) harvested. Good yields are being reported despite the detection of new cases of Asian Soybean Rust. Yields in the south of the central province of Santa Fe, the top soy area in the country, are averaging about 46 bushels per acre. In Casilda, also part of Santa Fe, yields are reported at 52 bushels per acre with 85 percent of the area harvested. Total output for Argentina is forecast to be up to 39 million tons. In contrast, only 31.5 million tons were harvested last year due to drought conditions.

Soy is Well-Accepted in School Lunches - As part of the battle against obesity in school-age children, the Illinois Center for Soy Foods at the University of Illinois has recently completed a pilot program, called ISOY, to demonstrate the nutritional benefits of including soy in the state's school lunch programs. A major focus of the study was to gauge acceptability of soy and soy-enhanced foods and to demonstrate how easily the foods could be incorporated into school lunch menus. Four different entrees were tested: spaghetti with sauce, chili, ravioli and nuggets. Chili and spaghetti scored the same as their meat counterparts; the ravioli and nuggets were consumed less by the children. The tests were conducted in four school districts.

Biodiesel Gets Jump Start in Chicago on Earth Day - For three decades, Earth Day has been recognized around the world at the end of April each year. Last Friday in Chicago, biodiesel became a part of Earth Day with the announcement that Chicago School Transit will be the first school bus service in the Chicago area to switch to a 20 percent blend of biodiesel. Cook-Illinois Corporation, which operates 1400 school buses, is now the largest school bus fleet in Illinois and one of the country’s largest to use biodiesel. Cook-Illinois begins using the fuel as part of the “Illinois Clean School Bus Program.” Representatives from the Illinois Soybean Association were on-hand for the press conference.

Familiar Fast Food Restaurants Abandoning Trans Fats - Some of the top fast food restaurant chains are dropping the use of trans fats for frying and other ingredients. That can spell bad news for soybean oil markets as fats are replaced with oils lower in or absent of trans fat. Quiznos will eliminate all trans fats this summer in its soups, cookies and dressings. Fazoli’s is dropping the use of trans fats from its signature breadsticks. Ruby Tuesday had already switched to canola oil 18 months ago. The biggest name in fast food – McDonald’s – is still testing alternative oils for its French frying and has postponed making the change until they can find a suitable substitute.

by  Editor, theCity1.com
May 4, 2005