Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom Soybean Facts The soybean, also known as the soya bean, is a legume native to East Asia. According to ancient Chinese legend, the wild soybean's nutritious properties were first discovered by a band of traeling merchants about 5,000 years ago. Soybeans were first cultivated in northern China and from there spread to Japan, Korea and the rest of SE Asia. Soybeans were first brought to North America in the early 19th Century. During the Civil War, soybeans were used in place of coffee because real coffee was scarce. One acre of soybeans can produce 82,368 crayons. US farmers first grew soybeans as cattle feed. Henry Ford experimented with soy-based plastics in the production of his cars. In 1940 he swung an axe at a car trunk to demonstrate the durability of soy plastics. George Washington Carver developed more than 300 uses for soybean, including edible oil and meal, with his research at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Because it is a legume, it was useful to restore nutrients to the depleted soils of the South. Legumes fix nitrogen in the soil. U.S. Soybeans represented 56 percent of world oilseed production in 2000. 72,408,000 soybean acres harvested in 2000, compared to 448,000 acres harvested in 1924. Some of the better known soybean products include soy meal, soy flour, soy milk, tofu, meat substitutes, tempeh, soy sauce, infant formula, biodiesel fuel and animal feed. Researchers are currently researching the use of soy oil to make rubber for various interior and exterior parts, including door seals, cupholders, and floor mats. Soy ink is used in over 95 percent of America’s daily newspapers that circulate more than fifteen hundred copies per run. Soybeans are typically among Oklahoma's top 10 agricultural commodities in value. Soybean Lessons Back to Ag Facts Back to Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom is a program of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, 4-H Youth Development, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and the Oklahoma State Department of Education.