The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) held its summer meetings June 30-July 2, 2026, and reviewed research funding for fiscal year (FY) 2027. The full ISA board met on July 2 and approved more than $2 million in soybean production and demand research funding at Iowa State University. Included in that total was $225,000 in funding for the ISRC, an increase of $25,000 from FY26, which will then be leveraged with industry partner funding when the ISRC makes its research funding decisions this fall.
“Iowa’s soybean farmer-directors were impressed by both the volume and caliber of the research proposals received this year,” said Joe McClure, Chief Officer of the Iowa Soybean Association’s Research Center for Farming Innovation. “The ongoing collaboration between researchers and farmers will lead to delivering real, measurable results to farm production, protection and new demand efforts.”
ISRC staff attended the Iowa Soybean Association’s summer Productivity Committee meeting on June 30 and July 1. ISRC Co-directors Mark Licht and Steve Whitham provided an update on the center’s research and educational outreach activities. The ISRC has provided more than $3 million in research funding since it was established in 2014. Research funded by the center is identified based on industry and farmer needs. Collaboration across departments is encouraged and several ISRC-funded projects have gone on to pursue and/or obtain larger funding opportunities, thus further leveraging ISRC funding.
Also attending the meeting from Iowa State, were department chairs Glen Ritchie, agronomy, Steve Harris, plant pathology, entomology and microbiology and Amy Kaleita, agricultural and biosystems engineering, to provide department updates. Currently, some of the challenges facing university research includes the uncertainty of federal funding, a 3:1 ratio in retirement losses and a need for student internship opportunities. To this end, department directors expressed their appreciation for ISA’s continued partnership and support, both financially and in actively identifying soybean research needs.
Iowa State researchers will receive more than $1.6 million in soybean production funding toward 17 research projects. Twelve are continuing projects and five are new. In addition, Iowa State researchers will receive $190,000 in soybean demand funding. Following is a list of approved research projects (* denotes newly funded projects).
Productivity Research Funding
Sotirios Archontoulis, principal investigator (PI), agronomy, co-PIs Carolina Freitas, Mark Licht and Michael Castellano, agronomy: “Optimizing Continuous Soybean Production with Rye Cover Crop”
*Thomas Baum, PI, plant pathology, entomology and microbiology (PPEM): “How Does SCN Overcome SCN Resistance”
Michael Castellano, PI, agronomy, co-PIs Sotirios Archontoulis and Melissa Miller, agronomy: “Leveraging the Iowa Nitrogen Initiative to Understand the Effects of Corn Residue Management on Soybean Production and Water Quality”
Wes Everman, PI, agronomy: “Investigating Waterhemp Control with Glufosinate Plus 2,4-D - What is Going On?”
*Wes Everman, PI, agronomy: “Evaluating PPO-Inhibiting Herbicide Use on Soybean Growth and Yield”
Erin Hodgson, PI, PPEM, co-PI Matt O’Neal, PPEM and advisor Brad Coates, USDA-ARS: “Turning Soybean Aphid Management Around”
Erin Hodgson, PI, PPEM, co-PI Aaron Gassmann, PPEM: “Value of Diversified Management to Reduce Yield Losses from Insect Pests”
Katherine Kral-O'Brien, PI, PPEM, co-PI Matt O'Neal, PPEM: “Identifying Pollinators and Resource Use in Corn-Soybean Based Crop Rotations”
Mark Licht, PI, agronomy, co-PI Fernando Marcos, agronomy: “Amplifying ISA Investment through Science for Success”
Mark Licht, PI, agronomy, co-PI Daren Mueller, PPEM: “Early Planting and Maturity Group Dynamics for Soybean Yield Enhancement in Iowa”
*Dirk Maier, PI, agricultural and biosystems engineering (ABE), ISU Kent Feed Mill & Grain Science Complex: “Moisture Matters: Recapturing Soybean Value Through Post-Harvest Reconditioning.”
Daren Mueller, PI, PPEM, co-PIs Mark Licht, agronomy and Edgar Neito-Lopez, PPEM: “Soybean Disease Management: Foliar Fungicides, Biological Fungicides, and Fungicide Resistance”
Richard Roth, PI, agronomy, co-PIs Mark Licht and Larousse Dorissant, agronomy: “Influence of Tillage, Nutrient Placement, and Seeding Method on Soybean Growth and Development”
Richard Roth, PI, agronomy, co-PIs Mark Licht and Larousse Dorissant, agronomy: “Optimizing Sulfur Management in Iowa Soybeans: When, Where, and How Much?”
*Asheesh “Danny” Singh, PI, agronomy: “Soybean Improvement – New Varieties and Uses for Improved On-Farm Production and Profitability” (also received some funding from demand)
Greg Tylka, PI, PPEM: “Improving Profitability for Iowa Soybean Farmers with In-field Evaluations of SCN-resistant Soybean Varieties and Seed Treatments”
*Steve Whitham, PI, PPEM: “Precision Breeding for Biotic and Abiotic Stress Management in Soybean”
Demand Research Funding
*Eric Cochran, PI, chemical and biological engineering: “Sticking with Soy: Soy-Based Dust Control for Iowa Farm and Rural Roads”
*Dirk Maier, PI, ABE: “ISU – Iowa Soybean Partnership with USSEC for Export Market Promotion and Technical Assistance through Continuing Education”
Dirk Maier, PI, ABE: "Increasing Domestic Soybean Demand – High Oleic Soybean Value Chain Proposal from Field to Feed to Dairy” (funded in Dec. 2025, amount is included in the demand funding total above)
