A major new soybean meal research program was initiated in 1998. The goal for the project was to ensure that U.S. soybean meal is the supplemental protein of choice in swine diets. The project, funded by soybean growers in Illinois, involves researchers at 10 institutions working on 12 individual projects. Some of the individual research objectives include:

• Determining the effects of processing variables on soybean meal composition.
• Evaluating the ileal digestibility of amino acids in soybean meal from different soy processors.
• Reviewing the environmental factors affecting soybean nutrient composition.
• Determining the effect of soy's carbohydrates on nutrient utilization.
• Evaluating whether the physical properties of meal affects nutrient utilization by pigs.
• Determining the effects of soy phytoestrogens on pig growth, feed utilization, body composition and reproductive efficiencies.
• Characterizing the effects of soy protein on carcass quality.
• Determining the economic importance of potential changes in soybean meal use relative to its position in domestic and global markets.

Preliminary results of these studies will be reported at the Global Soy Forum, August 4-7, in Chicago, Illinois. Additional information on the soy/swine nutrition research project can be obtained by contacting the National Soybean Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, 170 EASB, 1101 W. Peabody Drive, Urbana, IL. 61801, or by E-mailing a request to nsrl@uiuc.edu.