Two non-GMO high oleic soybean varieties are being tested for aquaculture feed – including a new checkoff-funded variety – and Brushvale Seed is seeking a soybean producer in southwest Minnesota to plant the varieties this growing season.

The new checkoff-supported variety, TruSoya®, will be tested against a high oleic, low linolenic (HOLL) soybean variety, in several fish feeding trials.

“Seeing this soybean variety come out of the University of Minnesota breeding program and now be ready for commercial research shows the true value of the checkoff,” said Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council CEO Tom Slunecka. “This is cutting edge research that will ultimately increase our international and domestic markets, and Brushvale Seed is looking for a farmer who is forward thinking and willing to be at the forefront of this process.”

The TruSoya® soybean contains approximately 70% oleic acid and 8% linoleic acid in its oil. The variety was developed to provide optimal nutrition to a wide variety of animal species, when fed in the form of the feed ingredient known as full fat soybean meal.

Previous research on monogastric animals has shown TruSoya®’s lipid composition has resulted in faster young animal growth and lower death loss.

To aid in further research, specifically in aquaculture feed through Prairie AquaTech’s patented feed process, a southwest Minnesota soybean grower is being sought to grow an additional 5,000 bushels of both TruSoya® and the HOLL variety this year.

A $3 dollar premium will be available, along with an allotment for storage.

The soybeans are planned to be processed at the Ag Innovation Campus in Crookston and then used for fish feeding trials, conducted by Prairie AquaTech.

Interested soybean producers can contact Travis Meyer at Brushvale Seed directly at 218-643-2311.