Purdue Leads Soybean Future Forward

By Andi Anderson

The 2025 Soybean Showcase at Purdue University was a vibrant gathering of farmers, students, alumni, faculty, industry professionals, and agriculture enthusiasts who braved a morning rainstorm to learn about the latest advancements in soybean research.

Hosted at the Beck Agricultural Center, the event highlighted Purdue’s role as a leader in agricultural research, particularly in the areas of soybean yield, nutritional content, and biofuel potential.

Ron Turco, associate dean of Purdue’s College of Agriculture, called the event the “Renewal of the Purdue Soybean Community,” emphasizing soybeans’ vital role not only in food and feed but also in biofuels, which could have significant economic impacts for Indiana, the U.S., and beyond.

Soybeans are a major crop in Indiana, with 5.78 million acres harvested in 2024, contributing $3.55 billion to the state’s economy.

Despite steady yield increases, the cost of soybean seeds has risen, prompting Purdue’s College of Agriculture to call for more private partnerships to fill the gap and enhance productivity, resilience, and disease resistance.

The Purdue Soybean Showcase provided a platform for building connections across sectors. Attendees engaged with research through posters and presentations, where graduate students shared their findings, and faculty discussed the future of soybeans, including economic predictions, translational genetics, and remote sensing.

Research funding came from various sources, including USDA-ARS, NIFA, AFRI, Purdue Extension, and private companies, as well as Indiana Soybean Alliance checkoff dollars.

Jianxin Ma, a Purdue professor and endowed chair in soybean improvement, emphasized the importance of the research in helping farmers improve productivity and environmental resilience.

Farmers like Pam Robertson and her brother Dave Gephart of Gephart Farms attended the event for different reasons—one for networking and the other for professional development.

Robertson, whose father had also attended Purdue's showcases, reflected on how the event continues a family legacy of learning and community engagement in agriculture.

Photo Credit: purdue-university