The soybean is a protein powerhouse, essential for nourishing and energizing our planet today and tomorrow. However, for decades, the soy commodity system has prioritized quantity over quality, resulting in more calories but less nutrition. At Benson Hill, we believe that better feed, food, and fuel start with better seeds.

Soybean meal is a crucial component of our agri-food system, providing essential protein and nutrients in animal diets. Yet, animal agriculture significantly impacts our climate, contributing to 12% of human-caused global carbon dioxide emissions, according to the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Despite this, global demand for animal protein continues to rise, with more than 90% of U.S.-grown soybeans used in animal feed applications. To address these challenges, we must improve the sustainability of soy production. This is where seed innovation plays a crucial role. Benson Hill’s proprietary Ultra-High Protein varieties already outperform commodity soy today, delivering up to 20% higher protein content and lower anti-nutrients. This leads to improved efficiency and sustainability benefits throughout the food value chain.

Animal feed markets represent some of the world’s largest but least differentiated markets in soy protein. Our ability to differentiate our seed innovations for feed provides significant value creation opportunities, both now and in the future as we optimize protein and yield. Higher oil content and the potential for better fuel are also in our innovation pipeline, opening further market opportunities. Our advanced plant breeding platform, powered by our CropOS® technology platform and Crop Accelerator facility, ultimately positions Benson Hill to deliver soy quality traits for specific end uses, including feed, food and the emerging biofuels market.