IPPE: U.S. Soy research turns nutrition into performance
With 60% of U.S. Soy used in poultry feed, USB highlights nutrition, research and on-farm value
7 April 2026
2 minute read
By: Dr. Nathan Augspurger, vice president of Animal Nutrition and Health at the United Soybean Board, recently spoke to The Poultry Site’s Sarah Mikesell at the 2026 IPPE in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, about soy as a key component of the poultry diet.
Tell us about the United Soybean Board?
The United Soybean Board is a board made up of 77 soybean farmers from around the nation that are charged with investing soy checkoff funds for the purpose of research and education to maximize value, volume and quality of soybeans into our everyday lives. This involves animal use but applies to other sectors as well.
Soy is a key component of the poultry diet. How does poultry fit into the USB's priorities?
Poultry is a major factor when it comes to the utilization of soy in the U.S. and globally. About 60% of all of U.S. soybean meal produced goes into poultry feed in the United States, making it a huge market for our U.S. soybean farmers.
Soy and soybean meal are phenomenal nutrient sources, including metabolizable energy, amino acids and some vitamins. In addition, there are certain utilization strategies that can help promote productivity. Whether managing heat stress or what we're learning through particular diseases and environmental challenges, soy is also a tool that supports animal health, productivity and resilience.
Does research make a significant contribution to understanding the importance of soy?
Yes, it does and we invest a lot of resources into understanding not only the nutrient value for these animals, but also effective strategies to best utilize soybean meal to support the productivity of broilers, laying hens and turkeys.
We take the outcomes of this research and translate it into effective strategies to implement at the production level so that our producers can identify and achieve the most productivity and economic value they can out of soy.
We also take that information and post that on our new website, the U.S. Soy Center for Animal Nutrition and Health, can.ussoy.org. All our research is accessible there, as well as non-USB funded work and related soy news.
Why was the site established?
The website is a resource for information and research pertaining to U.S. soy and effective methods for increasing productivity among poultry producers. We truly want the site to be a go-to resource for all things regarding soy and animal nutrition, and we invite others who have information to collaborate with us, so we can add new material to increase its value and reach across the industry.
While the website has a lot of information relevant to poultry production, other sectors of livestock production can benefit from this resource as well. In addition to poultry, we have individual resource pages for swine, dairy cattle and beef cattle, as well as technical resources for aquaculture.
The website is growing and consistently posting new information, so be sure to check it out often.
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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.
