The Benefits of High-Oleic Soybeans

Markets are heating up for soybean oil. Much like the ethanol boom of the early 2000s, the United States has seen a rapid expansion of soybean-crushing facilities and growing demand for soybean production.

By 2027, the U.S. soybean crush capacity is expected to increase by 23%, according to a report by CoBank. The expansion is largely driven by the growth of the food processing and biofuels industries.

"When you build these processing facilities, you create a local demand for the crop," said Chad Hart, an economist with Iowa State Extension. "That boosts the local economy and creates an incentive to produce more crops to meet that demand."

High-Oleic Soybeans Gain Ground

Consumer demands are also shifting soybean production needs. As consumers become more health conscious, high-oleic oils have gained popularity within the food industry.

High-oleic oils are high in monounsaturated fats, making them more appealing to consumers invested in heart-healthy choices. "Food manufacturers and restaurants are transitioning to oils that can meet that consumer demand without sacrificing performance," said Roger Theisen, a marketing manager for Pioneer specialty crops.

While high-oleic soybeans have been on the market since the early 2010s, price premiums driven by increased demand have made them a more viable option. In 2023, nearly 20% of soybean acres in Indiana were dedicated to high-oleic varieties, according to the Indiana Soybean Alliance.

Companies Offer Options

High-oleic soybeans are available through Pioneer (Plenish) and Beck's Hybrids (Soyleic). To bring its Vistive Gold Xtend soybeans to market, pending global regulatory approval, Bayer has entered into a commercial agreement with Perdue Agribusiness. Upon that approval, Bayer plans to make Vistive Gold Xtend soybeans commercially available for 2026 planting, focusing initially on the Mid-Atlantic region.

Theisen said Corteva offers 19 Pioneer brand Plenish high-oleic soybean varieties as part of the Pioneer A-Series product line, ranging from 1.9–4.3 maturity groups. "With this broad germplasm library, we can bring a lot of products that meet growers' needs," he said. "We can offer a product in their growing region that matches yields of their commodity counterparts, but also agronomic concerns they may have on their farm, like brown stem rot, soybean cyst nematode, or white mold."

New for the 2025 season, Corteva will offer three Pioneer brand Plenish high-oleic soybean varieties with the Enlist E3 trait, which widens weed management options. "They will be offered in very limited quantities and geographies," Theisen said. "It is still a stewarded product, and because of that, it will be kept in a closed-loop system domestically until we have global regulatory approval."

When looking for a premium and selling to processors, growers will need a contract with a processor to sell high-oleic soybeans. For farmers raising Plenish soybeans, those contracts happen through Pioneer when purchasing their seed. "In September of 2025, we're expecting processors will start to offer contracts in the marketplace for the 2026 crop year," Theisen said.

Beck's Hybrids added Soyleic as a high-oleic offering in 2024. Soyleic is a non-GMO, high-oleic trait developed by the University of Missouri and licensed by the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council (MSMC). Beck's Hybrids offers four Soyleic varieties, with maturity groups ranging from 2.3–3.3. Unlike Corteva, Beck's leaves contracts in the individual grower's hands. "We just try to be the seed company, because that's what we know we're good at," said Trek Murray, Beck's quality traits market manager. "We help push these programs and make them available to our customers, but we are not doing the contracting."

For those interested in raising their own high-oleic soybeans for on-farm use in dairy rations, no contracts are needed, regardless of seed company. However, they must be kept separate from conventional soybeans.