How U.S. farmer decisions shape soybean meal consistency and performance worldwide
A 6th-generation farmer explains how sustainability, technology and consistency translate into better poultry nutrition
13 April 2026
7 minute read
By: When poultry nutritionists formulate diets, their focus is often on amino acids, like lysine, threonine, and tryptophan, metabolizable energy and cost efficiency. But long before nutrients are measured in a feed mill, their nutritional foundation is set in the field.
The connection between farm-level decisions and feed performance was the focus of a recent conversation between Dr. Thomas D’Alfonso, Worldwide Director of Animal Nutrition at the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), and Jana Fritz, a sixth-generation soybean farmer from Bad Axe, Michigan, and a USSEC board member.
D’Alfonso brought a global nutrition perspective, and Fritz’s brought on-farm insights that framed the discussion, highlighting how consistency and quality in soybean meal begin with decisions made long before harvest.
A generational commitment to consistency
For Fritz, consistency is not a short-term goal but rather it’s a generational responsibility.
“Consistency and quality – we are constantly looking to improve upon both of these, year after year, generation after generation,” she said.
On her family farm, this mindset is tied directly to long-term stewardship. Each generation builds on the previous one, refining practices to improve both productivity and sustainability.
“We are only stewards of our operation, hopefully for the seventh generation,” Fritz explained. “So, it's necessary to have consistency and quality and to do things better than the previous generation at every turn.”
That philosophy drives continuous evaluation, whether through adopting new technologies or rethinking management practices.
“How do we employ new technologies? How do we look at our management practices more critically this year compared to last year to make improvements year after year?” she asked.
This commitment to incremental improvement is a defining feature of U.S. soybean production, and according to D’Alfonso, it shows up clearly in measurable feed value.
What feed buyers and nutritionists actually need
From the perspectives of those making feed purchases and poultry nutritionists, consistency in soybean meal is not just desirable; it is essential.
“What they need most from their protein source is not actually protein,” D’Alfonso said. “They need the essential amino acids, and they need them to be highly digestible and consistent. They also need metabolizable energy.”
He explained that soybean meal derived from U.S. Soy provides what he describes as a “perfect nutrient bundle,” delivering both digestible amino acids and energy required for modern high-performing poultry operations.
That consistency becomes especially important as producers push for tighter formulations and reduced safety margins. Variability in nutrient content forces nutritionists to be conservative, ultimately increasing feed costs.
“However, consistent soybean meal derived from U.S. Soy allows nutritionists to formulate more precisely, reducing over-formulation and improving efficiency,” D’Alfonso said.
Technology and management at the farm level
For Fritz, achieving that consistency starts with how the crop is grown.
Advancements in precision agriculture like soil mapping, variable rate fertilizer application and satellite-based monitoring have transformed how farmers manage their fields.
“With new improvements in sensors, in GPS tools, satellite services and imagery, we can really look at the crop throughout all the stages of the growing season,” she said.
These tools allow farmers to respond in real time, ensuring crops receive exactly what they need to reach their full potential.
“We can ensure that the crop is healthy and that we are giving it what it needs so yield reaches its highest potential with the best quality possible,” Fritz explained. “Because quality feed ingredients are so important to the end user.”
That focus on the end user, who may be thousands of miles away, is central to how U.S. farmers approach production.
“We would never want to put a crop into the market that wasn't the best that we could produce,” she said.
Measurable differences in soybean meal quality
According to D’Alfonso, the impact of these farm-level decisions can be seen clearly in the data. USSEC has tracked soybean quality across origins for more than a decade, analyzing factors that influence digestibility and performance.
“What we see all is that there is much less damage in soybeans and soybean meal derived from U.S. Soy compared to that from particularly Latin America,” he said.
Differences in climate, harvesting conditions and post-harvest handling all contribute to variability. In tropical regions, higher moisture levels and the need for mechanical drying can increase the risk of damage. Those differences translate directly into feed formulation challenges.
“If there's damage anywhere along the line, then you're going to have damage at the end point,” D’Alfonso explained.
By contrast, the combination of farm practices, including naturally drying beans in the field, and infrastructure in the U.S. results in lower variability and more consistent nutrient availability.
Consistency is not just a quality metric; it also has a direct economic impact.
D’Alfonso described how variability in nutrient content forces nutritionists to apply safety margins, effectively discounting the value of the ingredient. That’s not necessary with soybean meal derived from U.S. Soy.
“We've analyzed and determined that soybean meal derived from U.S. Soy brings $20 to $25 per metric ton more value because of its quality and consistency,” he said.
The added value comes from reduced feed costs and doesn’t even account for improved animal performance.
For producers operating on tight margins, U.S. Soy’s consistency can make a measurable difference in profitability.
Correcting misconceptions about U.S. farming
Fritz also addressed a common misunderstanding in global markets. The common perception that U.S. agriculture is dominated by large, impersonal corporate operations.
“About 95% of farms in the U.S. are still family owned,” she said.
That distinction matters because family ownership is closely tied to long-term stewardship and accountability.
“Really, the family farm is that generational longevity and sustainable operation that we want to continue to improve upon and pass down to future generations,” Fritz explained.
This long-term perspective influences decisions around soil health, input management and sustainability, which are all factors that ultimately affect crop quality.
Sustainability and verification
As global buyers place increasing emphasis on sustainability, documentation and verification have become critical.
Fritz noted that while many sustainable practices are already standard on U.S. farms, formal verification adds an important layer of credibility.
“Until I became aware of the U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol, I didn’t realize that this kind of documentation was available to row crop growers,” she said. “Now, we understand the importance of this type of verification to buyers around the globe. It’s another layer of assurance that we are selling a quality product.”
This system translates on-farm practices into standardized, verifiable data that can be shared with international buyers.
“To have an organization like USSEC put it into documentation and provide the reliability to the buyer has really been a great asset to the U.S. farmer,” Fritz said.
For feed buyers and nutritionists, that transparency reinforces confidence in the consistency and quality of the product.
A systems-based approach to quality
One of Fritz’s key messages was that soybean quality cannot be separated from the broader farming system.
“We're trying to understand the synergies between crops, the benefits of crop rotation and adding organic matter in the soils,” she said.
This holistic approach recognizes that decisions made for one crop often benefit others, creating a more resilient and productive system overall.
“This entire system working in and amongst itself really gives me the reassurances that we're doing the right thing for our entire operation,” Fritz explained.
This systems thinking contributes to both yield stability and sustainability, reinforcing the consistency that downstream users depend on.
Why origin matters
For D’Alfonso, one of the most important takeaways for feed buyers is that not all soybean meal is the same.
“The first thing is that origin matters, and the second thing is that crude protein does not,” he said. “We see six times the amount of damage from soybean meal from Brazil compared to soybean meal derived from the U.S. Soy.”
He emphasized that 100-year old traditional measures like crude protein that only measure nitrogen can be misleading, as they do not reflect the digestibility or availability of essential amino acids.
“Measure the right things that matter to the end user. The animal needs essential amino acids to be digestible to be able to perform at their genetic potential,” he said.
Understanding these differences allows nutritionists to make more informed decisions, ultimately improving performance and efficiency.
Connecting the field to performance
The conversation between Fritz and D’Alfonso underscores a critical point: soybean meal quality is not determined at the feed mill. It begins on the farm.
From soil management and crop rotation to harvest and handling, each step in the production process influences the final product.
For Fritz, that responsibility is both personal and professional.
“We're trying to be the global leaders for soy production,” she said.
That ambition is reflected in a continuous drive for improvement, supported by technology, data and a commitment to long-term stewardship.
For nutritionists and producers, the result is a more consistent ingredient, and one that enables precision formulation, reduces variability and supports better animal performance.
As D’Alfonso summarized, consistency in soybean meal is not just a quality attribute – it is a measurable advantage.
Sarah Mikesell
Sarah Mikesell grew up on a five-generation family farming operation in Ohio, USA, where her family still farms. She feels extraordinarily lucky to get to do what she loves - write about livestock and crop agriculture. You can find her on LinkedIn.
