St. Louis, Missouri, USA
March 27, 2024
Benson Hill, Inc. (NYSE: BHIL), an ag tech company unlocking the natural genetic diversity of plants, announced that it will continue its partnership with the Saint Louis Science Center for the second consecutive year. As part of this collaboration, Benson Hill will donate its innovative Ultra-High Protein, Low-Oligosaccharide (UHP-LO) soybeans to support STEM education efforts in the St. Louis community.
The Science Center first joined forces with Benson Hill in 2023 to feature the company’s proprietary soybeans in the museum’s GROW Gallery. The outdoor exhibit space allows guests to explore advancements in agricultural science. And, through soybeans, guests learn more about how plant breeding creates soybeans with traits like increased protein content and why this matters for resource management and nutrition.
“My time as one of GROW’s first interns sparked a passion for education in agriculture, and this opportunity to again highlight Benson Hill’s proprietary soybeans in GROW is a great full-circle moment,” said Clara Hagedorn, an associate manager with Benson Hill who made the connection with the Science Center. “By showcasing these locally grown varieties of soybeans at GROW, we are creating a unique opportunity to educate people who might drive by soybeans in a field and want to know more about this versatile crop.”
Typical commodity soybeans, often used in the production of soy-based ingredients and animal feed, deliver protein levels of approximately 50% after processing. In contrast, Benson Hill’s UHP-LO soybeans contain post-crush protein levels ranging from 60 to 65%, with lower indigestible sugars to support animal digestive health and overall performance, contributing to the advancement of animal welfare. This remarkable genetic achievement improves nutrition density for feed applications, where the majority of soybeans are used. Future varietal advances focus on lowering the amount of synthetic amino acids needed and further boosting energy density to make soy an even more ideal feedstock.
“By donating differentiated soybeans for the second year in a row, Benson Hill continues to contribute to the community’s understanding of regional agriculture and help guests appreciate a protein-packed crop that’s used for a bunch of end uses,” said Maddie Earnest, associate director of galleries at the Saint Louis Science Center. “Our collaboration aligns well with our mission to promote science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, and it’s bringing what people see along highways in Illinois and Missouri into the immersive experience of the GROW exhibit.”
The Benson Hill UHP-LO soybeans will be planted in May and harvested in early fall. Guests to the Science Center can look for the soybeans in the plots surrounding the Case IH combine in the GROW gallery.
Benson Hill works with Midwest soybean farmers to grow the company’s proprietary soybean varieties with an emphasis on protein production, regenerative agriculture practices, and sustainability benefits across the full value chain. For more information about the Benson Hill soybeans grown in the St. Louis region, visit www.bensonhillfarmers.com.
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