ARS | Publication request: Soybeans

Submitted to: Berkshire Encyclopedia of Sustainability
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: June 6, 2010
Publication Date: September 2, 2011
Repository URL: http://riley.nal.usda.gov/nal_web/digi/submission.html
Citation: Liu, K.S. 2011. Soybeans. In “Berkshire Encyclopedia of Sustainability, Vol. 4, Natural Resoruces and Sustainability”, Fredericks, S., Shen, L., Thompson, S. and Vasey, D., Eds. Berkshire Publishing Group, Great Barrington, MA.

Interpretive Summary: The Soybeans entry is for “Berkshire Encyclopedia of Sustainability, Vol. 4, Natural Resources and Sustainability”, Fredericks, S., Shen, L., Thompson, S. and Vasey, D., Eds. 2011. Berkshire Publishing Group, Great Barrington, MA. Contributors to this volume—scientists, historians, and social scientists—evaluate resource and ecosystem management methods; they explain how sustainable development principles have been applied in various industries. The Soybeans entry, invited to contribute by one the editors, belongs to the category of Processes and Systems of Natural Resource Use. The article has about 1500 words, and describes the feature, origin, process, end use, worldwide production and recent technological development of soybeans, with focus on current efforts for sustainability

Technical Abstract: Soybeans are not only one of the world’s oldest crops, but also one of the most important. Soybean plants are bushy and adaptable, and enrich the soil. Soybeans are valued for their versatility as a food, feed, or industrial material, and for their unique composition, nutritional values and, health benefits. Technological advances hold the promise of the soybean’s continued viability, although issues like safety and consumer acceptance of transgenic soybeans and potential risk of monoculture have to be addressed.