Newsletter October 2025
October 15, 2025
ISRC Funds Four Soybean Research Projects
The Iowa Soybean Research Center’s Industry Advisory Council (IAC) met in September for its annual meeting to consider proposed soybean research ideas and to offer guidance on how to best invest $380,000 in available new funding. Based on the IAC’s recommendations, the ISRC funded two new soybean research projects and provided an additional year of funding for two continuing projects.
ISRC Hosts Second Research Day
On September 8, 2025, the day before the ISRC’s annual Industry Advisory Council meeting, the center hosted its second Research Day that featured updates on ISRC-funded projects and a poster session that showcased the research of 19 Iowa State graduate students, post-docs and research staff.
SoyFest 2025 Showcases the Importance of Soy
ISRC staff attended the Iowa Soybean Association’s summer Productivity Committee meeting on July 1, 2025. Director Greg Tylka gave an update on the center, introduced new co-directors Mark Licht and Steve Whitham and mentioned the center’s upcoming activities for August, which is Soybean Month in Iowa.
ISRC Welcomes Inari as Newest Industry Partner
In October, the ISRC welcomed Inari as its newest industry partner, adding another representative to the ISRC’s Industry Advisory Council. As one of the ISRC’s industry partners, Inari will provide financial support to the center, which will be leveraged with soybean checkoff funds from the Iowa Soybean Association to support soybean research at Iowa State.
Iowa Soybean Association Approves Additional Research Funding, Presents Awards
The Iowa Soybean Association Productivity Committee and full Board met September 3-4, 2025 and approved an additional research project submitted by Wesley Everman, assistant professor of agronomy at ISU. The ISA also presented awards to ISU President Wendy Wintersteen and ISRC Director Greg Tylka for their years of service in support of Iowa soybean farmers.
ISRC Faculty Research Affiliates Involved in Seven Projects Funded by NCSRP
The North Central Soybean Research Program (NCSRP) approved more than $3.2 million in funding for continued research in fiscal year 2026 to support eight university-based projects. Iowa State researchers are involved in seven of those projects.
ISRC Hosts Fifth Annual Meals from the Heartland Event
The ISRC hosted its fifth annual Meals from the Heartland food-packaging event on August 1, 2025. More than 60 ISU students, faculty and staff packaged 38,600 meals in two and a half hours at ISU’s Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center. Many thanks to our volunteers and to Cargill who has sponsored the event each year with a generous monetary donation to cover the cost of the ingredients of the meals, which contain soy protein.
ISRC Hosts Field/Industry Tour
The ISRC hosted a Summer Field Tour on August 5, 2025, for 15 participants, which included visits to Wyffels Hybrids located east of Ames and the Alliant Energy Solar Farm at ISU located south of Ames. The Field Tours offer ISU researchers opportunities to explore and learn about a variety of agricultural industries and farming operations that exist outside their lab experiences.
GDM Travel Grant Awarded for CANVAS Conference
Congratulations to ISU PhD student Victoria Moser on being selected for a $1,000 GDM Travel Grant to attend and present at CANVAS 2025 (formerly the Tri-Society Meeting), November 9-12, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
China Trade Team Visits ISU
The ISRC hosted a China trade team’s visit to Iowa State University on August 29, 2025. The group of six was hosted by the U.S. Soybean Export Council and was in Iowa visiting the Iowa Soybean Association.
ISRC Hosts Visit with Researcher from Japan’s NARO
Dr. Shin Kato, a researcher with Japan’s National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, visited Iowa State on October 8, 2025, to learn more about soybean research at ISU. The ISRC helped coordinate the visit with several of its faculty research affiliates.
Save the Dates for ISU Extension and Outreach Events
The ISRC is excited to be a sponsor of the following ISU Extension and Outreach Events:
Integrated Crop Management Conference -December 10-11, 2025
CropsTV Season 6 starts January 6, 2026
Crop Advantage Series - January 6-30, 2026
Upcoming Events
November 9-12, 2025: CANVAS (Tri-Society) Conference, Salt Lake City, UT
December 10-11, 2025: Integrated Crop Management Conference, Altoona, IA
January 6 - April 15, 2026: CropsTV - Season 6
January 6-30, 2026: Crop Advantage Series
Each Wednesday at Noon - Iowa Learning Farms Webinars
Keep up with what’s new at the ISRC on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).
