While soybeans may not seem that important to Texas agriculture, they still account for a hefty portion of business, accounting for more than $50 million in economic benefits.
"To the people that grow them, they are very important," said Eddie Funderburg, a senior consultant of soils and crops for the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. "But as far as Texas soybean crop contributing to the nation as a whole, it is very unimportant. Nationally speaking the Texas soybean crop on attributes to 0.3 percent."
Nationally, Texas is only responsible for a quarter of a million acres of soybeans.
"The national soybean crop is estimated for 2010 is 78,098,000 acres," Funderburg said. "In Texas 250,000 acres of the crop is grown. That is actually up from last year, because last year Texas grew about 215,000 acres."
East Texas is the most prevalent soybean region in the state.
"Soybeans need certain things to be successful, but the main thing is an ample water supply and that occurs typically in August, and if you live in Texas you are not getting ample water very often, it is generally pretty low," Funderburg explained. "So, you have a better chance if you are in an area like East Texas."
According to the National Agriculture Statistics Service, Fannin County harvested the most bushels of soybeans in Texas in 2009, harvesting 325,000 bushels from approximately 17,200 planted acres. The county was actually down from 2008, when they harvested 446,500 bushels. Lamar County was second in state soybean production with 320,000 bushels in 2009, from 14,500 planted acres.
For most growers, genetically modified varieties are preferred.
"The main kind is called Round Up Ready," Funderburg said. "Round Up is a non-selective herbicide it basically kills any plant that you spray it on. The thing is they have altered the seed so that it is tolerant of Round Up, so before they came up with Round Up you would have to mix up a concoction of multiple herbicides for each type of weeds that you had."
While Texas may not gain national attention for it's production, it's crop still serves as an important role in soybean production. The soybean has been known to have high protein contents and can be used for both human and livestock consumption, but according to the United Soybean Board, they are also used in a variety of things from polyurethane plastics, to inks for printing, as well as coating and lubricants.
"It almost all goes to feed for animals and people," Funderburg said. "They crush the oil out of it, and what is left is meal and the meal goes to human consumption and livestock feed."
For more information on Texas soybean production visit www.nass.usda.gov.
