Quality of Canadian oilseed-type soybeans 2021

Oil and protein content

The average oil content was 22.3% on a dry basis (19.3% at 13% moisture) for Soybeans, No. 1 Canada and Soybeans, No. 2 Canada. This is higher than in 2020 (21.8% on a dry basis, 18.9% at 13% moisture) and the 5-year average of 21.5% (18.7% at 13% moisture) (Table 1). For the top two grades combined, the oil content of individual samples ranged from 19.1% on a dry basis (16.6% at 13% moisture) to 24.9% on a dry basis (21.7% at 13% moisture). Figure 4 shows the oil content trend for eastern, western and all of Canada since 2006.

The average protein content was 38.6% on a dry basis (33.7% at 13% moisture) (Table 1), which is slightly higher than the results in 2020 (38.3% on a dry basis, 33.3% at 13% moisture) and similar to the 5-year average (38.9% on a dry basis, 33.8% at 13% moisture). Samples from eastern Canada had a higher protein content (40.3%) than western Canada (36.0%) and the Maritimes (38.7%) (Table 3). For the top two grades combined, the protein content of individual samples ranged from 29.7% (25.8% at 13% moisture) to 45.0% (39.2% at 13% moisture). Figure 2 shows the protein content trends from eastern and western Canada since 2006. Average protein content in western Canada has been consistently lower and showed slightly more yearly variability than that in eastern Canada.

Figure 2 Seed protein content (%, dry basis) of Canadian oilseed-type soybeans from 2006 to 2021

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  Figure 2 Seed protein content (%, dry basis) of Canadian oilseed-type soybeans from 2006 to 2021

  	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
  Western Canada	36.0	35.5	37.8	37.0	37.4	36.5	36.4	39.6	37.3	38.1	38.7	37.1	37.3	36.8	37.6	35.9
  Eastern Canada	40.6	40.6	41.0	40.5	41.0	39.1	40.1	40.5	40.5	40.1	40.6	39.6	39.4	39.3	38.3	40.6
  Canada	39.9	39.8	40.3	39.7	39.9	38.1	39.3	40.2	39.6	39.6	40.1	38.6	38.9	38.4	38.3	38.7

Figure 3 presents the protein content of fully defatted soybean meal. The protein content of the defatted soybean meal from western Canada is lower (46.3%) than that in samples from eastern Canada (52.1%). This reflects the difference in the protein content of the seed between the two regions.

Figure 3 Defatted meal protein content (%, dry basis) of Canadian oilseed-type soybeans from 2006 to 2021

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  Figure 3 Defatted meal protein content (%, dry basis) of Canadian oilseed-type soybeans from 2006 to 2021

  Region	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
  Western Canada	46.9	45.4	48.3	47.4	47.7	47.3	46.7	50.2	47.0	48.3	48.9	47.1	47.6	46.5	47.8	46.3
  Eastern Canada	51.5	52.0	52.3	51.1	52.1	49.8	51.2	51.2	51.2	51.1	52.1	49.9	50.8	49.9	49.8	52.1
  Canada	50.8	50.9	51.4	50.3	50.7	48.8	50.3	50.9	50.1	50.4	51.2	48.8	50.0	48.6	49.0	49.7

As is true for all oilseeds, there typically is an inverse relationship between oil and protein content for Canadian soybeans: the higher the oil content, the lower the protein. In 2021, protein content was similar to 2020, while oil content increased compared to 2020.

Figure 4 Seed oil content (%, dry basis) of Canadian oilseed-type soybeans from 2006 to 2021

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  Figure 4 Seed oil content (%, dry basis) of Canadian oilseed-type soybeans from 2006 to 2021

  Region	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
  Western Canada	23.2	21.8	21.8	22.0	21.6	22.9	22.0	21.0	20.6	21.1	20.8	21.3	21.6	20.9	21.3	22.4
  Eastern Canada	21.1	21.9	21.6	20.7	21.2	21.4	21.8	21.0	21.0	21.6	22.0	20.7	22.4	21.2	22.0	22.1
  Canada	21.5	21.9	21.6	21.1	21.4	22.0	21.9	21.0	20.9	21.5	21.7	20.9	22.2	21.1	21.8	22.2

Environmental growing conditions are usually responsible for year-to-year variations, whereas genetics, or varietal differences, are usually responsible for trends over several years. A combination of genetics and environmental growing conditions is responsible for differences between eastern and western soybeans. Currently, breeding focuses primarily on yield and other agronomic factors. Quality factors, such as oil or protein content, are not considered when registering new soybean varieties in Canada.