U.S. soybean farmers can submit samples from their 2026 harvest free of charge to the Annual Soybean Quality Survey, with the Soy Checkoff covering the full cost of kits, postage and laboratory analysis. Samples are due Oct. 21.

The survey, funded by the Soy Checkoff and led by Seth Naeve, professor of agronomy and plant genetics at the University of Minnesota, has documented the composition of the U.S. soybean crop since 1986. Each participating farmer receives a personalized quality report on their sample by mid-December, while only aggregated results appear in the public report due in January 2027.

The program matters beyond individual farm gates. Survey data feed the U.S. Soybean Export Council's international marketing programs, giving foreign buyers a science-based picture of protein, oil value and overall composition of the U.S. crop. That matters in a market where U.S. soy increasingly competes on value and quality rather than price alone, as the global marketplace grows more competitive.

"Every sample a farmer sends in makes our picture of U.S. soybean quality more complete," Naeve said. "That information travels with our crop to customers around the world and helps them understand the real value of what American farmers grow."

What growers get

The process requires minimal time. Farmers request a free sample kit at z.umn.edu/soybean-quality; each kit includes instructions and a postage-paid sample bag. A QR code on the bag lets growers record their information quickly. After returning the sample, farmers receive personalized results by mid-December, with the full survey report published in January 2027 at z.umn.edu/SoyQualityReports, where past reports are also archived.

Individual results stay confidential. Only aggregated data appears in the final report.

The deadline carries practical weight. Samples are technically accepted through mid-December, but an earlier return helps ensure each growing region is represented when USSEC presents survey data at global buyers' conferences.

Variety data adds value

Naeve's team asks farmers to include the seed company and variety with their sample. That detail lets researchers identify which varieties deliver the most value to international customers — information that can flow back into variety selection decisions and seed company breeding programs.

"Taking a few minutes to send in a sample is one of the easiest ways to invest in the reputation of U.S. soy," said Cindy Pulskamp, a United Soybean Board farmer-leader from North Dakota. "It costs nothing, and it helps every soybean farmer compete in markets here and abroad."

The context

For nearly four decades, the survey has built a year-over-year record of U.S. soybean quality, one sample at a time. Its aggregated results serve as the reference point foreign crushers and importers use when assessing the crop they are buying, and its regional breakdowns help ensure production areas beyond the Corn Belt — including the Plains and Upper Midwest — show up in export conversations.

With the 2026 harvest moving into full gear, growers who want their region and varieties counted in this year's dataset should request kits now and mail samples ahead of the Oct. 21 due date, well before the mid-December cutoff and the January 2027 report release.