Atlanta, Ind. — Beck’s, the largest family-owned seed company and third largest seed brand, today announced they’ve acquired the exclusive licensing rights of the SOYLEIC™ soybean patents from the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council (MSMC), marking a significant milestone in farmer-driven innovation and expanding new market opportunities for farmers across the United States.
Developed through decades of farmer-funded research at the University of Missouri and United States Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), SOYLEIC® soybeans are a high oleic, low linolenic variety designed to deliver soybean oil with improved stability and performance without hydrogenation. This results in a longer shelf life, improved performance under high-heat, and a domestically sourced alternative to imported oils. These benefits directly connect farmer production to growing end-user demand.
“This is a major win for farmers,” said Casey Wasser, CEO and executive director of Missouri Soybeans. “SOYLEIC represents years of research, investment, and persistence. Beck’s acquisition validates that work and ensures this technology has a clear path to scale, stability, and long-term value.”
MSMC spent years protecting the integrity of the trait, supporting university research and building pathways toward commercialization. With this acquisition, Beck’s will now lead those efforts by expanding seed production, supporting agronomic placement, and developing market channels to take high oleic soybeans to the next level.
“This investment transitions SOYLEIC from a successful, farmer-funded research initiative into a scalable commercial product,” said Scott Beck, president of Beck's. “With our footprint across the U.S., the technology is now positioned to reach more farmers and deliver a consistent supply to processors and end users."
Beck’s is making the SOYLEIC trait broadly available to other current and pending seed licensees, while continuing to expand SOYLEIC throughout the US. All farmers can continue to enjoy the benefits of SOYLEIC in brands they know. Beginning with the 2027 growing season, Beck’s plans to offer two SOYLEIC non-gmo varieties as well as three SOYLEIC+TECH™ soybean varieties, with the SOYLEIC + TECH varieties featuring the Enlist® E3 trait package. This positions farmers with a competitive, high-value option in a growing specialty soybean market.
SOYLEIC is a naturally occurring trait, which provides flexibility in trait integration and removes certain regulatory barriers when stacking future technologies, which will be a crucial advantage as new traits continue to emerge.
What Can Farmers Expect from Beck’s Commercialization of SOYLEIC?
- Improved market access for high-oleic soybeans
- Greater confidence through established commercialization
- New opportunities in value-added production
By combining farmer-driven innovation with Beck’s farmer-first approach, SOYLEIC represents a long-term opportunity for Beck’s to bring farmers more choices and improve their operation’s profitability.
For more information about Beck’s products and services, visit http://www.beckshybrids.com.
