When it comes to U.S. soybeans and farmers’ ability to meet customer demands, the proof is not “in the pudding.” It’s in the numbers.

Farmers in Illinois and across the country have proven once again that we can produce the quality and quantity of soybeans desired by international customers.

The United States exported 1.8 billion bushels of soy during the 2011-12 marketing year. While slightly less than the 2 billion bushels exported the year before, the numbers indicate a continued preference and demand for our soybeans. Included in the total were 1.3 billion bushels of whole soybeans, meal from more than 413 million bushels of soybeans and the oil from 131 million bushels of soybeans.