Record soybean harvest fuels hidden presence in American food and fuel

The U.S. Department of Agriculture expects a record 4.52 billion-bushel soybean harvest in 2026, equating to about 800 pounds per citizen. Although few Americans recognize soybeans on their plates, the crop’s oil, lecithin and protein are pervasive in salad dressings, mayonnaise, baked goods, infant formula, energy bars and many processed foods. Soy’s American story began when Samuel Bowen brought a handful of beans to Savannah, Georgia, in 1764, and later expanded through Frank Meyer’s collection of Chinese varieties and the work of Charles Piper and William Morse at the Arlington Experimental Farm.

Industrial crushing in the 1910s created two valuable products—oil for paint, margarine and soap, and protein-rich meal for livestock. Henry Ford championed soy in the 1930s, using its oil for paints and its meal for plastics, and even served a soy-based lunch at the 1934 Century of Progress exposition. World War II shortages forced reliance on domestic soybean oil, displacing butter and spurring the growth of margarine, while post-war livestock demand drove meal consumption. Recent federal renewable-fuel mandates have redirected growing amounts of soybean oil into biodiesel and aviation fuel, linking the crop to energy, trade and geopolitics.