The 2021 FIRST Program Directory PDF documents are posted online at www.firstseedtests.com. The directories provide an overview of testing this year.

How does gooey fermented soybeans sound for breakfast? This staple Japanese food, called natto, is considered a superfood that fights viruses. Buyers are looking to source soybeans for it in American markets, according to Brad Doyle, American Soybean Association vice-president, USSEC Human and Oil Strategic Utilization Team member, and co-owner of Eagle Seed in Weiner, AR. Mr. Doyle spoke with FIRST about markets for food-grade and non-GMO soybeans. Interest in these varieties sparked FIRST’s Mark Querna to host a small trial for them with his plots in southern Minnesota this year.

Doyle said that there are several ways food processors attract farmers into production of food-grade varieties. They offer seed, contracts, price premiums, and other arrangements. However, producers weigh that business against the higher yields for field beans. Yield trials can help bridge the gap with direct, unbiased comparisons. “Don’t assume that it’s 10 bu less, know if it’s 10 bu less,” he explained. That can provide a better idea of premiums or arrangements needed to close the gap.  

Contact FIRST about how you can get involved with conventional soybean trials at info@firstseedtests.com.

This is FIRST's 25th year of organizing corn and soybean seed trials. To celebrate, we have been looking back at reporting over the years. This month, we'll review the yields for top regional finishers in later years of testing. We summarized the products with all positive overall regional performances (higher yield than trial average across all locations) to those same products' yields in the following year's tests.

The graphics below show that products that were successful across multiple locations -- FIRST's regional performance summary -- with 100% above-average performance in all of the regions they were tested, had 100% above-average yields in the regional summaries the following year. Conversely, those with only below-average performances always had below-average performance in regional summaries the next year. Keep in mind that those products having *only* above-average regional performances are rare. The dataset covered the years 2003-2020, and there were 240 of these top performers, and 210 of the *only* below-average performers.

For people who take time to look carefully at yield data, identifying products that have performed consistently well in multiple environments are great selections and continue to do well across years.

(Above) Corn Grain - Top and Bottom Regional Performances in Later Test Years

(Above) Soybeans - Top and Bottom Regional Performances in Later Test Years

To celebrate our 25th year, we will continue to share analysis of other factors associated with yield and agronomic performance using detailed FIRST records. To date, there have been more than 900,000 mini-strips planted, maintained, measured at harvest, and reported in the corn grain program, and almost 300,000 in the soybean program.