Iowa City, Iowa
October 3, 2005
Asoyia LLC and
Dairyland Seed have
announced a strategic collaboration to develop and market
soybean germplasm for the ultra low linolenic soybean market.
“We’re excited to team up with Asoyia, who
already has significant success in, and knowledge of, the
developing 1% ultra low linolenic soybean market from both ends
of the business—producing soybeans with the ultra low linolenic
trait and marketing ultra low linolenic soybean oil. Asoyia is
the first organization to successfully produce 1% ultra low
linolenic soybeans in volume and, as a result, provides highly
stable trans fat free oil to the food industry. This experience
will be invaluable as we work together,” said Tom Strachota, CEO
of Dairyland Seed.
“Asoyia is honored to have the opportunity to
work with an industry leader like Dairyland Seed on this joint
effort,” said Dr. Vivan Jennings, CEO of Asoyia. “Dairyland is
recognized as one of the premier plant breeding companies in the
seed industry. With Dairyland’s expertise in developing elite
soybean varieties, we look forward to the development of
additional elite varieties of the Asoyia ultra low linolenic
soybean that are even more vigorous and robust.”
Oil from ultra low linolenic soybeans is becoming
increasingly popular in the food industry, as an alternative to
partially hydrogenated soybean oil. Asoyia’s soybeans have 1%
linolenic acid—the lowest level of linolenic acid among any
brands on the market—compared to 7% that normally occurs in
soybeans. This lower linolenic acid makes oil processed from
these soybeans naturally stable without requiring hydrogenation.
The absence of hydrogenation eliminates trans fatty acids, which
the Food and Drug Administration is requiring food manufacturers
to list on all product labels beginning in January 2006. Trans
fatty acids have been linked to increased cholesterol levels,
which can lead to heart disease.
This fall, Asoyia will harvest 25,000 acres of 1%
ultra low linolenic soybeans grown by more than 100 Iowa
producers. Under the Asoyia brand, the company currently
produces six different genetic lines of soybeans with the ultra
low linolenic trait.
The goals of the collaboration between Asoyia and
Dairyland are to develop high yielding soybeans with improved
genetic packages that contain the 1% ultra low linolenic soybean
trait. The new genetics will add disease resistance and new
desirable traits across diverse maturity ranges where soybeans
are grown.
Asoyia’s 2005 harvest will produce more than 12
million pounds of ultra low linolenic soybean oil, which will
continue to be marketed to the food service industry throughout
the United States and overseas. Current customers include food
processors, restaurants, and university and hospital food
service. Additionally, the company is selling regionally retail
bottles of Asoyia Ultra Low Linolenic Soybean Oil.
Asoyia is farmer-owned and provides premiums and
revenue sharing with all of its growers. One hundred percent of
Asoyia profits go back to Iowa farmers.
For 2006 ultra low linolenic soybean production
will be focused in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, area. Additional
production areas will be developed and identified and identified
for the 2007 season and beyond.
With the largest independent plant breeding
program in the industry, Dairyland Seed has 12 plant breeders
working to develop high-yielding elite germplasm. Dairyland
Seed’s research team brought to market the world’s first
herbicide-tolerant soybeans in 1993. The company released the
first herbicide tolerant soybeans to surpass the 70-, 80-, and
90-bushel per acre yield levels in university trials. Dairyland
recently announced the release of the industry’s first early
maturity stacked herbicide tolerant soybeans which contain
tolerance to both Monsanto’s Roundup® herbicide and DuPont’s
STS® herbicides. Its research program spans nearly three
decades, and its locations are spread throughout the United
States, Mexico, Central and South America.
Dairyland Seed is one of the country’s largest
privately owned seed companies, bringing nearly 100 years of
expertise to the collaboration with Asoyia. |