4-12 IAN Soybeans

 Soybean production coming to Idaho?

 When I think soybeans, Idaho doesn’t exactly come immediately to mind. However, in chatting with my colleagues, I overheard a rumor that there was a lot of interest in exploring the potential for soybean production in our fair state. I also heard that there was some resistance on the part of other bean growers. So rather than speculate about who, what, when and where, I called up Lacey Menasco at the Idaho Bean Commission.  “there was some  report that there was an attempt to grow soybeans in Idaho and that the regular dry are upset about it, is that true? We are not upset about people growing soybeans in Idaho, but we are requesting that ISDA regulate soybean seed that enters the state. What is that request aced upon? Right now, there are strict rules about how  bean seed enters the state. That the the reason bean industry has chosen to impose those rules on themselves is to protect the thriving bean seed industry that we have here in Idaho where we are  free from a lot of diseases. there has been perceived increased interest in growing soybeans in Idaho and right now there are no rules in the book that regulates soybean seed  entrance into Idaho. At the very least we would like to see that the seed entering the state  go through serology testing for various seed borne diseases. A lot of soybean diseases will not transfer from soybeans to dried beans but just having the diseases in the region could actually close entire export markets.