BEAMAN -- Growing soybean demand and dwindling supplies have seed companies scrambling to boost production.

Some have announced aggressive goals to produce more beans, with one company confident it can double yields in about two decades. With another record-setting year for soybean exports recently announced and no sign of domestic use declining, officials from the Big Three seed companies -- Monsanto, Pioneer and Syngenta -- said it's their job to make sure supply keeps pace with demand.

Soybeans are an important protein source for humans, a feed stock for animals and can be turned into biodiesel to fuel vehicles. When all its industrial uses are also figured in, like soy-based plastics, and growing world population, officials expect production pressures will only increase.

St. Louis-based Monsanto, the parent company of brands such as Asgrow, Dekalb and Kruger Seeds, held a press conference Monday at its Asgrow soybean seed processing facility in Beaman. The company, which pledged earlier this year to double yields of soybeans, corn and cotton by 2030, announced its inaugural lineup of six new Asgrow Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybean varieties and innovations in seed treatment and packaging to boost production.

"We do see the demand for feed and fuel," said Scott Stein, Asgrow soybean product manager. "The demand for U.S. ag commodities will continue to grow and we want to make sure we can meet that."

According to the U.S. Soybean Board, more than 1.5 billion bushels of soybeans -- whole, meal and oil -- were exported in 2008 valued at more than $12 billion. China was again the top importer with 490 million bushels.

Domestic use remained fairly steady even though production this year was considerably lower than 2007, primarily due to an increase in corn acres, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That will leave soybean stocks in a very tight position, officials said.

The USDA estimates the country will only have 205 million bushels on hand after the 2007/08 marketing year compared to 574 million at the previous year.

That's why Monsanto officials say it's so important to meet their goals. Their innovations:

Asgrow Roundup Ready 2 Yield, the second generation of Roundup Ready beans. A better bean through gene mapping and insertion technology, the company says.

Acceleron seed treatment to provide early-season plant protection for a variety of diseases.

The AccuSure Seed Count System, which insures 140,000 seeds in every bag to improve uniform planting.

Monsanto officials say yields will increase 7 percent to 11 percent as a result. While it's no where near doubling yields yet, officials said it's a good start.

"It's part of a larger goal. … We're really excited about these products compared to the competition," Stein said.

A leading Iowa State University soybean agronomist believes significantly higher yields are on the horizon. This year the state's farmers will average 46 bushels per acre, according to the USDA.

Palle Pedersen often talks about the potential of Iowa's most popular legume averaging 100 bushels per acre under the right agronomic and weather conditions. A Missouri farmer had yields topping 150 bushels per acre this year, officials said, proving it can be done.

Doing it consistently, though, is the challenge. Pedersen said ISU is conducting confidential experiments to help make it happen.

"In the next three to eight years, there's going to be big changes," Pedersen said.

In the meantime, Des Moines-based Pioneer is also working to increase soybean yields. Its goal is to boost production by 40 percent in 10 years.

Through biotechnology, selective breeding and tracking a plant's molecular structure, the company hopes to fend off soybean pests and diseases that have plagued Iowa growers for years, such as soybean cyst nematode, aphids and sudden death syndrome. Pioneer wants to increase yields by a bushel a year.

"It's a very aggressive goal," said John Soper, Pioneer research director of soybean development. "In order to meet growing demand, we need to get more yield per acre."

And Pioneer researchers are using the latest technology to do so, he said.

"It's similar to crime scene technology," Soper added. "We can take leaf tissue and do a DNA finger print for resistance to disease and pests … (and) identify genes to increase yield. We've stacked the deck genetically."

The Big Three seed companies sink millions of dollars each year in product development and capital improvement. Locally, Pioneer is building a parent soybean facility in Dysart and Monsanto spent several million dollars to upgrades its Beaman plant.

To farmers who have watched corn yields consistently grow since the 1960s, they're pleased that seed companies are putting so much effort into soybeans. ISU crop specialist George Cummins said soybean yields have "pretty well plateaued" recently.

That has frustrated Ted Hamer of rural Traer. The Asgrow seed producer is optimistic the latest breakthroughs will change that.

"Our beans haven't been going up at the angle (of) corn; from that perspective, it's discouraging," Hamer said.

After producing next year's seed beans for Asgrow, Hamer says he has hope. He noticed the yield increase in the new varieties the company claims.

Asgrow seed producer Mike Wiarda of rural Ackley also noticed a bump. In one instance, 10 bushels better than this year's commercial beans.

"It gives you a sense of accomplishment," Wiarda said.

Syngenta, which sells NK soybean seed, is working on new aphid-resistant variety. With yield losses as high as 50 percent in some fields from the yield-robbing pests, Syngenta officials said that's one way to increase the nation's soybean supply.

Chris Cook, an agronomy manager for Syngenta's Garst brand, said the company spends about $3 million a day in research. The company has similar yield goals as their competitors.

Today, one acre feeds four people, Cook said. By 2030, add an extra person, he said. The company doesn't take that responsibility lightly.

"That's where everything we're doing (comes from)," Cook said.

Contact Matthew Wilde at (319) 291-1579 or matt.wilde@wcfcourier.com.