Soybean Growers Across the U.S. Support Illinois-Based ARS Facility as Key for U.S. Competitiveness

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - OCTOBER 1, 2025 - A coalition of state soybean associations, led by the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) and the American Soybean Association (ASA), has submitted a joint letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins urging the Administration to preserve the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) facility in Urbana, Illinois - home to the National Soybean Germplasm Collection. Farmers insist this site is vital to U.S. crop resilience, yield gains, and global leadership in soybean genetics.

The letter-backed by a majority of state soybean groups nationwide-expresses concern that proposed budget changes could transfer the germplasm collection, along with other key research, to alternative USDA locations. Farmers caution that such a move could slow ongoing breeding progress, create uncertainty for soybean improvement efforts, and risk weakening America's competitive position at a time when other nations are expanding their genetic research programs.

"The work being done in Urbana is the backbone of soybean progress in this country. Moving the collection would put years of research at risk and slow down the tools we need on our farms. While Brazil and China are investing heavily in their soybean breeding, we can't afford to take a step backwards here at home," said Bryan Severs, Illinois Soybean Association Chairman.

The Urbana facility offers a unique blend of favorable climate, land, soils, and proximity to outstanding research institutions. It hosts both the National Soybean Germplasm Collection and the Maize Genetics Cooperation Stock Center-resources that support the development of corn and soybean varieties with improved disease resistance, drought tolerance, and higher yields.

In recent years, the USDA has made major upgrades in Urbana, such as the recently installed state-of-the-art seed vault. These investments help make Urbana one of the most efficient and effective sites in this work.

The letter further emphasizes the long-standing collaboration between USDA scientists and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, one of the nation's top agricultural research institutions. Proximity enables joint projects, shared funding, faster translation of discoveries, and on-site training of future agricultural scientists - a connection that can not be rapidly recreated elsewhere.

University of Illinois Professor and Crop Sciences Department Head Adam Davis said, "The strong USDA-ARS partnership on the University of Illinois campus helps future-proof agriculture in the U.S. and secure supply chains worldwide. Our scientific collaborations and ARS plant genetic resources address ever-changing demands on field crop production. We deeply value the farmers and coalitions who recognize and champion the value of these resources."

The coalition argues that relocating this collection would not only incur unnecessary logistical and transition costs but also halt or slow essential research. At a time when global competitors like Brazil, China, and Argentina are investing heavily in seed and trait development, weakening America's genetic base is a strategic error.

###

The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) checkoff and membership programs represent more than 43,000 soybean farmers in Illinois. The checkoff funds market development, soybean production and government relations efforts, while the membership program, Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG) and the Illinois Soybean Growers PAC actively advocates for positive and impactful legislation for farmers at local, state and national levels. ISA upholds the interests of Illinois soybean farmers through promotion, advocacy, research and education with the vision of becoming a trusted partner of Illinois soybean farmers to ensure their profitability now and for future generations. For more information, visit the website https://www.ilsoy.org and https://www.ilsoygrowers.com.

Media Contact:
Ashley Haddon
Illinois Soybean Association
[email protected]